Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 73-0vs Richmond | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#31
Bailey Benson
Sophomore linebacker for NC State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 207 lb · Covington, GA · Eastside
Returning to NC State for 2026
The numbers
1
tackle · 2026
1 PBU
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Richmond
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for NC State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Wake Forest in 2025.
- Transferred from Wake Forest to NC State in 2025.
Bailey Benson
Wake Forest to NC State — the move that set up everything since. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Richmond, Week 2, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- portal record
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with Wake Forest3-star out of Eastside
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
NC State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026NC State1-1HC: Dave Doeren · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dave Doeren
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | NC State | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 73–0
vs Richmond
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
NC State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · NC State
Returning around him
- 2 NC State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (20 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
NC State · Last season: 8-5 · Talent rank #32 · 2026 recruiting class #49
Background
AS FRESHMAN (2025 AT NC STATE): • True freshman who spent the spring semester of 2025 at Wake Forest and joined the Wolfpack in May. HIGH SCHOOL: • Four-year varsity player at Eastside High School in Covington, Ga. • Rankings: Listed 19th in GA division AAAA and seventh in Region 8 for sacks duri...
The linebacker corps · NC State
- Raul Aguirre Jr.43 tackles · 2025
- #5Harvey Dyson III31 tackles · 2025
- #30Zane Williams13 tackles · 2025
- #15AJ Richardson12 tackles · 2025
- #31Bailey Benson1 game · 2026
19 more on the roster · NC State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology