As many expected, the first two days of the 2020 NFL Draft were quiet from a Tar Heel perspective, but things heated up on the final day of the first ever fully-virtual NFL Draft. Two Tar Heels heard his name called in the final four rounds on Saturday and we’re here to breakdown all of the selections for you and their fit with their new teams.
OT Charlie Heck (4th Round, No. 126 Overall- Houston Texans)
Heck was the first former Tar Heel to be selected on Saturday, as he will be headed to Houston to play in a rebuilt Texans offense. The former Tar Heel, who committed to Carolina in the 2015 class as a tight end, put together a strong four-year career, playing in 43 career games, starting 34 on the way to becoming the anchor of the offensive line by his sophomore season. Heck was one of college football’s top pass protectors in his time in Chapel Hill and will now hope to settle into his role as he’ll look to help the Texans protect one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Deshaun Watson. While there is a lot of depth already in place, Heck brings pass protection skills to a team that allowed 49 sacks a year ago and has to do a better job of protecting their franchise quarterback. While it may take a little while, Heck is in a good spot that will allow him to compete and potentially start somewhere down the line.
DE Jason Strowbridge (5th Round, No. 154 Overall- Miami Dolphins)
Strowbridge fell a little, but he landed in a great spot for him. The Deerfield Beach, FL native will be heading back to his home state of Florida to play for Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins. The Tar Heels used Strowbridge all over the defensive line in his four seasons on the field, but he really shined as a senior out of the defensive end spot in the new defensive scheme that was brought in. Miami’s 3-4 front will lend well to him, as he’ll likely be able to stay at defensive end and be able to work again with inside leverage against tackles, something he had success against this season. He is still developing as a pass rusher, but he brings immediate help in run defense and he showed a ton of upside at the Senior Bowl that has many scouts feeling like he could be a better NFL player than he was a college player. With a new regime in Miami and plenty of overhaul on the roster, Strowbridge will have a chance to grab some early reps this upcoming season.
DT Aaron Crawford (Undrafted FA- Baltimore Ravens)
As announced by his agent, Crawford was the first of the former Tar Heel undrafted free agents to sign. The defensive tackle, who anchored the Tar Heel defensive line each of the past couple of season, will stay close to home and lands in a spot that just feels right for him. He’ll have his work cut out for him to make the roster with talent nose tackles ahead of him, but don’t put anything the past the best statistical run stopping defensive tackle from this past season.
RB Antonio Williams (Undrafted FA- Buffalo Bills) After an up and down college career, Williams earns an opportunity with the Buffalo Bills. The former transfer from Ohio State showed improvement in his overall game this past season despite rushing for less yards than a year ago and seemed to benefit from his virtual pro day. Now he’ll head up north to fight for a spot in a Bills backfield that has a lot of unknown quantities.
S Myles Dorn (Undrafted FA- Minnesota Vikings)
It took a little bit of time, but Dorn signed with the Minnesota a couple of hours after the draft‘s conclusion. Dorn was a four year starter for the Tar Heels and showed a lot of versatility this past season, handling an array of different roles due to all of the injuries the Tar Heel secondary saw and now he’ll get a chance to show those off for Mike Zimmer and his staff. With extremely limited depth in at the safety spots for the Vikings, Dorn will have a good shot to make their roster this summer.
TE Jake Bargas (Undrafted FA- Minnesota Vikings)
Bargas may not have had the most decorated career in a Tar Heel uniform, but he will now get a chance with the Minnesota Vikings. Stats don’t tell you just how effective Bargas was in a Tar Heel uniform, but he developed into the teams best blocking tight end by his senior season and was a big part of why the team was able to have so much success on the ground in 2019. Now he’ll go to a team that will utilize his skillset very well, but he’ll have his work cut out for him to make a roster that carried three tight ends a year ago, all of which are returning.
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