Is it overreaction time to start the season, or does the NC State Wolfpack have a serious problem at the QB position that needs to be addressed?
Coming into the season, there was plenty of hype surrounding CJ Bailey, but after a rough Week 0 outing against Virginia, fans and analysts have begun to raise concerns about his play. In Saturday’s 34-8 loss, the Wolfpack quarterback completed 12 of 23 passes for 84 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, and 1 lost fumble, while adding 33 rushing yards.
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At 6-foot-6, Bailey is a rather tall starting quarterback compared to most, which has raised concerns about his throwing mechanics.
While it was expected that Bailey would fix these mechanical issues in the offseason, the start of the 2026 season may show that the concerns are still there for the NC State QB.
PFN’s NFL Draft Analyst Ian Cummings gave an immediate analysis of Bailey during the first half.
“CJ Bailey is absolutely talented, but I think he’s one QB we can safely predict will be a 2028 draft prospect at the earliest,” Cummings wrote.
CJ Bailey is absolutely talented, but I think he’s one QB we can safely predict will be a 2028 draft prospect at the earliest.
His mechanics remain particularly concerning. Uncontrolled footwork, shoulder alignments, and release points are ravaging his game rn.
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) August 29, 2026
One NFL Draft influencer made a straightforward observation about Bailey’s development.
“It appears zero progress was made by CJ Bailey in improving his mechanics this offseason,” they wrote.
It appears zero progress was made by CJ Bailey in improving his mechanics this offseason https://t.co/231md54c36 pic.twitter.com/8W5mwZTtFd
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) August 29, 2026
Of course, when it rains, it pours, with Bailey catching an array of harsh tweets regarding his play in Week 0.
“CJ Bailey looks terrible,” one fan wrote.
CJ Bailey looks terrible
— Pete B. (@petebvt) August 29, 2026
“CJ Bailey HAS to be better, end of story. [OC Kurt] Roper is scheming guys open he’s just missing right now,” wrote NC State’s Locked On Podcast.
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“‘CJ Bailey could be the country’s best’ was really a thing some of y’all were trial ballooning,” said another fan.
Some turned to memes to express their frustration with Bailey’s play.
this is what it’s like watching CJ Bailey play football pic.twitter.com/74PNTWMBfb
— CFBTalkDaily (@CFBTalkDaily) August 29, 2026
It’s extremely early in the season, so there’s still plenty of time for the young quarterback to turn things around.
However, if Bailey wants to be considered a legitimate prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft, he’ll need to clean up his mechanics asap or look toward the 2028 class.
