Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 8-34@ Virginia | 7 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 73-0vs Richmond | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#2
Ronnie Royal III
Junior safety on NC State's 2026 roster.
5′9″ · 185 lb · Gulf Shores, AL
CFB Index 46 · #313 of 544 safetiesMedium 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
4★
ATH recruit
No. 447 nationally · Signed with NC State
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 safety on NC State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to NC State in 2024.
Ronnie Royal III
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. He has spent two seasons in the NC State secondary. The receipt on tape: 7 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Virginia, Week 1, 2026.
9 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with NC State4-star out of Gulf Shores
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
NC State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Dave Doeren — 9-6 over that span.
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
Medium confidence
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: 4.5 TKL/g, 0.2 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
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
46 · #313 of 544 safeties
Former four-star. Now #313 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #11 of 25 ACC Ss
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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 73–0
vs Richmond
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
NC State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · 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
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jack Tchienchou’s 2024 season.
Matches Jack on
Class year
TFL rate
PD rate
Differs from Jack on
Height (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Derrick Jackson's freshman season at Kent State (2025).
Matches Derrick on
Tackle volume
Weight
TFL rate
Differs from Derrick on
Height (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Ronnie Royal III
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