North Carolina State University Athletics
CJ Bailey Continues to Bring in the Preseason Accolades after Being Named to Fourth Preseason Watch List
8/20/2026 12:00:00 PM | Football
RALEIGH, NC – NC State quarterback CJ Bailey continues to earn preseason accolades, having been named to the Davey O' Brien Award Preseason Watch List, his fourth preseason honor.
The Davey O' Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award.
Bailey has also been recognized by the Maxwell Club, Walter Camp, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards.
Compiled by a subset of the Davey O' Brien National Selection Committee, this year's list was selected based on previous Division I career performance and expectations heading into the 2026 college football season.
The preseason list features 17 seniors, seven juniors, and six sophomores. Bailey is one of just three ACC quarterbacks to make the list of 30 nominees.
One of the top quarterbacks in the country, Bailey returns to Raleigh for his third season with the Wolfpack as a team captain for the second consecutive year. The Miami, Fla., native already holds the school' s career completion percentage at. .671 (469-699). He ranks seventh in career touchdown responsibility (53), eighth in the Wolfpack career record books in passing yards (5, 518), fifth in passing yards per game (220. 72), and eighth in touchdown passes (42). He also ranks seventh in career rushing by a quarterback (494).
The official Davey O' Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and will include active starting quarterbacks from the Preseason Watch List, players honored as weekly Great 8 recipients through the season's first eight weeks, and any additional quarterbacks approved by the selection subcommittee.
The Davey O' Brien QB Class of 2026 will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 10. For the sixth straight year, fan voting on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) will earn players bonus selection committee votes during the semifinalist, finalist and winner voting rounds. First- round fan voting will begin Nov. 10, following the QB Class announcement. Semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The Foundation will announce the three finalists one week later (Tuesday, Nov. 24). The 2026 Davey O' Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Friday, Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The 50 th Annual Davey O' Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held on Monday, March 8, 2027, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
