NC State quarterback CJ Bailey is getting more attention by the week, and one of college football’s most recognizable voices just added his name to the conversation.
Bailey has already landed on the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Davey O’Brien Award watchlists, but he still doesn’t come up often when people start talking about the sport’s best quarterbacks. On Thursday, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit pushed him into the spotlight anyway, naming Bailey one of the top five underrated quarterbacks in college football and slotting him at No. 3.
“CJ Bailey out of the ACC at North Carolina State -- monster -- 6-foot-6," Herbstreit said. "He's got 21 starts under his belt, and it's his third year as the starter for the Wolfpack.
And I think Dave Doeren thinks he's got a pretty good team this year. I think they're better upfront, and he's got some good skill to work with, so keep an eye on CJ Bailey for the Wolfpack."
Herbstreit’s praise fits the trajectory Bailey has built over the last two seasons. As a true freshman in 2024, he started nine games and completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,413 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He also added 279 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. That 65 percent completion rate ranked sixth in the ACC and was the best ever by an NC State freshman quarterback.
His 17 touchdown passes were the second-most by a freshman quarterback in school history.
Bailey took another step the following season, starting all 13 games and throwing for 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns. Those numbers rank ninth and tied for seventh, respectively, in a single season in NC State program history. He also completed 69 percent of his passes during the 20225 campaign.
Before arriving in Raleigh, Bailey was a star at Chaminade-Madonna, where he helped lead the Lions to three straight state championships. In high school, he piled up 9,005 passing yards with 116 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while completing 67 percent of his throws. He also ran for 674 yards and six touchdowns.
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Corrigan made clear that NC State is still sorting through those possibilities rather than racing toward the first deal on the table, and he said the department is not close to a jersey sponsorship. As other schools continue landing corporate arrangements that can reshape the way athletic departments operate, the Wolfpack is trying to balance urgency with the kind of relationship that actually pays off for the university beyond the uniform. [Read more 🡒]