NC State QB Lex Thomas plans to enter transfer portal
After spending the first three years of his collegiate career at NC State, rising redshirt junior quarterback Lex Thomas will suit up elsewhere next season. He plans to the transfer portal with two years of eligibility.
Thomas, who logged 43 total offensive snaps in his Wolfpack career, departs his hometown program with a stat line of 7-of-15 passing for 83 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while he posted a carry for nine yards across four total appearances.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound backup was able to play the final drive at Clemson during the 2024 campaign as he led NC State to a touchdown with a 4-for-6 showing for 53 yards and a 40-yard scoring strike to wideout Terrell Anderson.
Other than that drive, Thomas was lightly used and appeared at the end of lopsided wins for the Wolfpack. He was 1-of-2 passing for 12 yards and an interception against Stanford in 2024, while he was 2-of-6 passing for 18 yards against Campbell earlier this fall. Thomas capped the Gasparilla Bowl win with three snaps on the Wolfpack’s final offensive drive of the 31-7 rout over Memphis.
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Although Thomas was listed as the No. 2 quarterback on the Wolfpack’s depth chart this past fall, freshman quarterback Will Wilson emerged as the team’s primary option behind starter CJ Bailey. Wilson, who was the featured short-yardage rusher, racked up 43 carries for 146 yards and a team-best 10 touchdowns in his inaugural season in Raleigh.
Thomas was the third of his siblings to play at NC State. His older brothers, Drake and Thayer, were a standout linebacker and wide receiver, respectively. Drake accounted for 293 total tackles, including 46 for a loss, with 19 sacks and four interceptions with the Wolfpack from 2019-2022 before turning into a breakout NFL player this fall. Thayer, meanwhile, caught 215 passes for 2,484 yards and 24 touchdowns from 2018-2022.
NC State’s scholarship quarterbacks going into 2026 include Bailey, Wilson and incoming freshman Jacob Smith. The Wolfpack attempted to add a second prep signal-caller in the class, but was unable to enroll one as Lehi (Utah) Skyridge three-star Kaneal Sweetwyne decommitted due to personal reasons.