Heel Tough Blog: Names to Know Exiting Spring Ball

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We are now a couple of weeks from the close of spring ball for the Tar Heels and the attention is turning towards the summer, where the team will add a few more players to the roster as they head into the player-led practice period. As we approach that stage of the offseason, here is a look at some under-the-radar names to know around Tar Heel before we get to fall camp.

Peyton Seelmann

Heading into spring, there were some questions about Seelmann making the leap from Richmond and being too small for this size, but the reviews from camp have been pretty glowing. There doesn’t seem to be any major concerns about him handling being at this level, meaning he should be heavily involved in what the team does from a run defense perspective this season. Expect him to be one of the pieces that the staff is most confident in heading into the fall.

Greg Smith

Smith was an important piece for the Tar Heels to retain this offseason and he reportedly showed why in the spring. According to intel from around the program, Smith has been one of the starters for the team at the two safety spots that were left vacant at the end of last season. If he is starting, there is reason to believe that he has taken the steps needed to become more than just a third down option at the hybrid linebacker spot. This is a guy I would like to hear a little bit more about in the fall, especially after some negative reviews of the defensive backfield coming out of the final scrimmage.

Kaleb Jackson

This is a name that has been buzzing since winter workouts and it is no different coming out of spring ball. Jackson is part of a trio that has reportedly been standing out at the running back position this season and could be in line for a pretty significant role this season that he was never able to attain at LSU. He will have to prove himself again in fall camp to earn snaps over Demon June and Benjamin Hall, but with the way people have been talking about him, it would be a shock if he does.

Miles O’Neill

While there are some people who believe Billy Edwards would be the starter in Ireland if the season began tomorrow, there is also a lot of belief, reportedly, in O’Neill exiting the spring. By all accounts, O’Neill had a very solid month for himself under the direction of new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, displaying a really strong arm that the team simply lacked a year ago. He will need to build off of this performance here in the summer and then into fall camp to take the starting job, but he has certainly put some people on notice. 

Jonathan Agumadu

Seelmann isn’t the only linebacker who has been spoken highly of coming out of the spring. While he might not be heading towards a starting job, Agumadu had a good month for himself by all accounts and should allow the team to rotate a little bit more than they did a year ago at the linebacker spot. If he can build off this in fall camp, he could earn himself some significant reps when we get in-season.

Carnell Warren

We didn’t hear a lot about the freshmen that arrived in the winter this spring except at the wide receiver position. Of those being talked about, Warren seems to be the one that impressed people around the program the most during the month of practices. If he can build off the flashes that he showed when the team reconvines in the fall, he could be pushing to play significant snaps opposite of Jordan Shipp.