CJ Bailey might only be two seasons into his NC State career, but make no mistake - he’s already carved out a spot among the Wolfpack’s all-time greats under center. After leading NC State to a Gasparilla Bowl win over Memphis, Bailey’s resume is starting to look less like a promising young quarterback and more like a program legend in the making.
Let’s start with the efficiency - because Bailey’s been nothing short of surgical with the football. His 2025 season ended with a passing efficiency rating of 150.7, good for third-best in a single season in NC State history.
That puts him right behind Philip Rivers (170.49 in 2003) and Devin Leary (157.1 in 2021), and ahead of names like Dave Buckey, Ryan Finley, and Russell Wilson. That’s elite company.
But it doesn’t stop there. Bailey now owns two of the top-10 single-season passing efficiency marks in school history - not bad for a guy who’s only been on campus two years. His 144.00 rating from 2024 sits at No. 8 on the list, meaning he’s already rewriting pages in the Wolfpack record book.
And when you zoom out and look at his career numbers? Bailey’s efficiency becomes even more impressive.
His career passing efficiency rating of 147.8 is the best in NC State history. Yes, you read that right - better than Philip Rivers, better than Russell Wilson, better than anyone who’s ever taken snaps in Raleigh.
Rivers, who held the previous mark at 144.16, now slides to second.
To put that in perspective, here’s how the top five stack up in career efficiency:
- CJ Bailey - 147.8 (2024-25)
- Philip Rivers - 144.16 (2000-03)
- Ryan Finley - 140.03 (2016-18)
- Devin Leary - 139.02 (2019-22)
- Russell Wilson - 135.47 (2008-10)
It’s not just about efficiency, either. Bailey’s raw production is climbing the charts fast.
In just two seasons, he’s thrown for 5,518 yards and completed 469 passes, both good for eighth in school history. His 7.89 yards per attempt ranks second all-time, showing that he’s not just dinking and dunking - he’s pushing the ball downfield with purpose and precision.
And when it comes to big-game performances, Bailey’s shown he can light it up. He’s already posted six 300-yard passing games, which puts him sixth in program history. That’s a mark that typically takes three or four years to reach, but Bailey’s done it in two.
Bottom line: CJ Bailey isn’t just a rising star - he’s already one of the most efficient and productive quarterbacks NC State has ever seen. With two years of eligibility still on the table, the ceiling is sky-high. If he keeps this pace, we might not just be talking about one of the best in school history - we could be witnessing the best to ever do it in Raleigh.