Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 8-34@ Virginia | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 73-0vs Richmond | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 8 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#7
Brian Nelson II
Senior cornerback on NC State's 2026 roster.
6′0″ · 197 lb · Pearland, TX · Shadow Creek
CFB Index 34 · #266 of 364 cornersLow confidenceReturning to NC State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
3★
CB recruit
No. 1664 nationally · Signed with North Texas
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 cornerback on NC State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to North Texas in 2023.
- Transferred from North Texas to NC State in 2025.
Brian Nelson II
Doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. Across four seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Eric Morris and Dave Doeren. The receipt: 5 tackles against Virginia — Week 1, 2026.
8 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2023
- Signed with North Texas3-star out of Shadow Creek
202511 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
NC State
Played his entire career under Dave Doeren.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023North Texas5-7HC: Eric Morris · Balanced, fast tempo
2024North Texas6-7HC: Eric Morris · Pass-leaning
2025NC State8-5HC: Dave Doeren · Balanced
2026NC State1-1HC: Dave Doeren · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceFading
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 2 games: 4.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 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 · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
34 · #266 of 364 corners
Three-star recruit. Now #266 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #13 of 19 ACC CBs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | NC State | 8 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | NC State | 29 | 21 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 6 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | North Texas | 53 | 45 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 4 | -- |
| 2023 | North Texas | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
| Career | 96 | 76 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 4 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 73–0
vs Richmond
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
NC State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Cornerback · 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
DNA match
Player DNA
Cover Corner
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Brandon Nicholson’s 2025 season.
91%match
Matches Brandon on
Class year
Height
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Montana Warren's junior season at Arizona State (2025).
Matches Montana on
Class year
Height
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Brian Nelson II
Background
AS RS-SOPHOMORE (2025 AT NC STATE): • Joined the Pack in June of 2025. AS A SOPHOMORE (2024 AT NORTH TEXAS): • Saw action in 12 games with eight starts. • A first-team All-AAC selection by College Football Network. • Led UNT and closed the regular season tied for second in the AAC with four inter...
The secondary · NC State
- #6Asaad Brown Jr.64 tackles · 2025
- #4King Mack58 tackles · 2025
- #2Ronnie Royal III49 tackles · 2025
- #22Jackson Vick45 tackles · 2025
- #7Brian Nelson II29 tackles · 2025
18 more on the roster · NC State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology