Today is the day that the Tar Heel fans have been waiting for since pate last year. Friday is the opening to fall camp as the 2022 squad begins their sprint towards the season opener against Florida A&M. There are a ton of players that are worth keeping an eye on over this next month with all of the battles that are going on, the best of which we chronicled here. I, however, have picked out the eight players that I will be keeping the firmest eye on throughout camp.
Kobe Paysour
Paysour was probably the name that came up the most last Thursday when talking about the receiving corps. The indication seems to be that he has made some major strides over the course of this offseason and now appears to be a major part of the plan at receiver. It will be interesting to see if he has really separated himself and if he is making the strides he needs to for a team that needs another threat on the outside.
Des Evans
Evans is another guy that we have heard a lot about this summer and will be worth monitoring in camp. We heard a lot about him last summer as well, but folks around the program are raving about his fit in this new defensive system. The Tar Heels are in need of guys who can simply get after the quarterback and win those 1-on-1 battles that we heard so much about last year. It will be interesting to see if Evans can build on his spring and be that guy up front that this defense needs.
Spencer Rolland
Rolland, the Harvard offensive line transfer, will take to the practice field with the Tar Heel for the first time on Friday. The expectation appears to be that he will challenge for a starting role on the right side of the offensive line, primarily at right tackle. The team added him from the transfer portal for a reason as they try to move on from the struggles of last year and the hope is that he help to solidify the right side of that offensive line that is still up in the air heading into camp.
Lejond Cavazos
Cavazos is another transfer who will be practicing with the team for the first time when camp opens. While Tony Grimes and Storm Duck are going to be the starters at corner if they are healthy, the thought seems to be that he will be a part of the battle for that top rotational role at the outside corner spots. It will be interesting to see how quickly he can settle in and make a push to help give the Tar Heels the depth that they need on the outside with the injury issues that they have had out there over the past few years.
George Pettaway
The true freshman running back has continued to be mentioned whenever the battle for backup reps has been brought up this summer and has the chance to be a major factor in the race. His versatility brings a different element and it will be interesting to see if he can also make plays out of the slot like he did in high school. Let’s see if he can build off of that solid spring and earn some reps early in the season.
Jahvaree Ritzie
Ritzie is another one of those guys that has been talked about a lot throughout the summer and the key is going to be finding out where he will ultimately play. His versatility will be useful, though, and the hope is that he can continue to build off of those flashes that he showed last season. If he can settle on that primary position, he could be a big part of this defensive line taking a big step forward this year.
Kedrick Bingley-Jones
We heard a lot about Bingley-Jones being a full go at ACC media days and it will be exciting to see what he can do at full strength. He is also down to 316 lbs., a weight that the staff thinks will allow him to contribute at defensive tackle in this new system. I will be very intrigued to see if he can at least start to show signs of someone who can contribute over the next month.
Zach Rice
Rice received some nice praise from the staff back in the spring when he entered as a true freshman early enrollee. There is no question about his talent or size, but it will be interesting to see if he has made strides over the summer. If he has, he should get a legit shot to win the starting job at right guard or right tackle.