#25

Sterling Dixon

Junior linebacker for NC State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.

LB · NC State · Jr. · #25

6′2″ · 221 lb · Spanish Fort, AL · Spanish Fort

Returning to NC State for 2026

via gopack.com ↗

Next upSat Sep 19 · 12:45 pm ETat VanderbiltFirstBank StadiumVanderbilt by 3

How he plays

Sacks: 37th percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

tackles · 2026

1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Richmond

His career numbers, season by season

The story

3 linebacker for NC State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.

Signed as a 4-star recruit to Alabama in 2024.
Transferred from Alabama to NC State in 2025.

The full story, with sources

Sterling Dixon

LB · NC State · Jr · #25

Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Kalen DeBoer and Dave Doeren. The receipt: 2 tackles against Richmond — Week 2, 2026.

2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS

Low coverage — composed from the verified record.

season totals
head-coach lineage
game log

2026 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2024Alabama9-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Run-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

6 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: tackles (0th percentile).

Box-score production (6)

Sacks#121 / 457 · 37th pct

0.0

QB hurries#126 / 457 · 36th pct

Passes defended#169 / 457 · 32nd pct

Tackles for loss#279 / 457 · 20th pct

0.0

Solo tackles#456 / 457 · 0th pct

Tackles#458 / 457 · 0th pct

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: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

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	2	--	0.0	--	--	--
2025	NC State	1	--	0.5	--	--	--
2024	Alabama	1	--	0.0	--	--	--
Career		4	--	0.5	--	--	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026

W 73–0

vs Richmond

2 TOT

Dominant 73-point win at home against Richmond.

With C. Bailey — 281 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 92.0 · 25 rush yds (6 car) · 1 TD · J. Scott — 128 rush yds (9 car) · 2 TD

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 1 game

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	SACK	INT	PD	Note
Wk 2	W 73-0vs Richmond	2	0	0.0	0.0	—	0	Season-high 2 tackles
Total		2	0	0.0	0.0	—	0

The linebacker corps · NC State

Raul Aguirre Jr.LB · Sr.43 tackles · 2025
#5Harvey Dyson IIILB · Sr.31 tackles · 2025
#30Zane WilliamsLB · Jr.13 tackles · 2025
#15AJ RichardsonLB · Sr.12 tackles · 2025
#25Sterling DixonLB · Jr.1 tackle · 2025

19 more on the roster · NC State team page

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

2024

2025