Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 73-0vs Richmond | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 3 | L 31-35@ Vanderbilt | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#31
Bailey Benson
Sophomore linebacker for NC State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 207 lb · Covington, GA · Eastside
The numbers
6
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, at Vanderbilt
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Sophomore linebacker for NC State. 2026: 2 games 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: 5 tackles against Vanderbilt, Week 3, 2026.
6 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
—
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | NC State | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 73–0
vs Richmond
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +5 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
2026NC State1-2HC: Dave Doeren · Run-leaning
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 2 games: 3.0 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
Pass share
44.9%
89 pass / 109 run
Plays / game
66.0
3 games
Team sack rate
5.0%
101 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Starter
The No. 1,405 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the ACC as a sophomore.
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…
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 Benson2 games · 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