Heel Tough Blog: Ranking The Position Rooms Pre-Spring Practice

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The Tar Heels begin spring practice on Tuesday, as they look to wash the bad taste out of their mouth from a lackluster first season under Bill Belichick. As we head into the spring, it’s time to take a look at where the roster stands by ranking our confidence level in each position from least confident to most confident.

12. Offensive Line

We’re going to start by talking about the groups that we are least confident in and the offensive line is where you have to start. While the team did land four commitments from the portal along this offensive line, only one has extensive experience as a starter and that comes in the form of Andrew Threatt, who comes from FCS Charleston Southern. Christo Kelly coming back to anchor the unit at center is helpful, as is the return of Aidan Banfield, but Kelly has yet to play a significant snap at the FBS level and Banfield was benched for poor play last season. This should be a position that Tar Heel fans have low expectations for heading into the spring.

11. Cornerback

When the Tar Heels re-signed Jaiden Patterson, there was hope that this would be a unit that you could trust, but as of right now, they are lacking a trusted starter opposite him. Michigan State transfer Ade Willie was brought in to help the group of incumbents and true freshmen, but he should not be a sure-fire starter based on his track record. The hope is that one of the younger guys on the roster can break out, but that is far from a guarantee going into the spring.

10. Kicker

With the departure of Rece Verhoff, the Tar Heels are forced to go through another offseason of kicker questions. True freshman David Green looks like the guy poised to slot in as the starter, but LSU transfer Aeron Burrell and fellow true freshman Adam McCann-Gibbs will be waiting to challenge if needed. With a true freshman likely being the starter here, it’s hard to feel great heading in.

9. Punter

The unit lost Tom Maginness this offseason after a career year and must now find the next solution at this spot. Former Eastern Illinois transfer Jacob Horvath is the favorite to take over the duties, but true freshman Adam McCann-Gibbs will be challenging for the job, as well. This is going to be a position of concern heading into spring practice, where, hopefully, someone can step up.

8. Quarterback

The Tar Heels completely overhauled this room this offseason, but because they did not go big-game hunting, there are still question marks about this unit. Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. is the most experienced guy in the room, but the team also brings in Miles O’Neill from Texas A&M and Travis Burgess from the high school ranks, both of whom could challenge to be the starter this preseason. The late addition of Taron Dickens brings about promise if he can be what he was at the FCS level, but that is not exactly a guarantee at this point. Dickens and Edwards are probably the two guys who stand out in the race right now, but neither is the sure thing that you had in Sam Howell or Drake Maye and had become accustomed to. Still, there is at least some hope that this room can give you the serviceable quarterback play that you didn’t have most of last season.

7. Safety

This position group is not one that the Tar Heels addressed in the portal, meaning that the team will have to rely on the holdovers and freshman additions to make a difference here. Greg Smith III, who became the team’s third-down hybrid linebacker last year, was a significant retention by this staff and could be poised for a step forward this season. Aside from him, rotational guys like Coleman Bryson and Javion Butts, who both played more reps towards the end of the season, will be expected to make leaps and potentially hold starting roles themselves. There are some promising freshmen in this room, as well, who could factor in as the season goes along. You certainly won’t go into the spring feeling overly confident here, but there is potential here that should at least have you hopeful.

6. Interior Defensive Line

This was a position that was going to be one of the strengths for the Tar Heels until late in the portal cycle when two of last year’s major contributors entered the portal. With the departure of CJ Mims and D’Antre Robinson, the team will have to rely on Leroy Jackson and Isaiah Johnson to play more snaps and see some of the younger guys step up and become a part of the rotation. There are talented options here, especially from a freshman class that has guys like Vodney Cleveland and Trashawn Ruffin, but it could take some time for those guys to become what the team needs them to be. There is more promise for this room than a lot of others on this roster, but the lack of proven depth still brings about some nerves here.

5. Tight End

Just like at quarterback, the Tar Heels almost completely overhauled this room through the portal. The team signed three transfers, Jelani Thurman, Jaxon Warren and Jordan Washington, all of whom should contribute at some point. It might not be the most productive group of guys, but there is some upside here to feel good about with Warren and Washington and Thurman is a solid piece himself that will allow those guys to continue to grow. Don’t forget about Shamar Easter, who returns after earning some reps late last year, and true freshman Carson Sneed, who is a promising young prospect himself. This is really the first unit that you can feel secure about going into the spring.

4. Wide Receiver

The Tar Heel wide receiving corps needs to be better than it was a year ago, but they still go into the season as one of the more stable units on the team. Jordan Shipp is back as the team’s top receiver and a top offensive leader and is poised for a big season if the quarterback play is better. Outside of him, though, the team needs someone to step up. Lehigh transfer Mason Humphrey boasts some nice ability to win downfield that will hopefully translate, while Wisconsin transfer Trech Kekahuna is a slot with some solid production so far in his career. The hope is that the group of other holdovers who saw action last season (Shanard Clower, Nathan Leacock and Madrid Tucker) will be able to show improvement, as well. True freshmen like C.J. Sadler and Carnell Warren are also guys who bring some talent to the table and could be exciting to monitor heading into the season. This room needs to have reliable options that emerge outside of Shipp, but there is a lot to be hopeful about here.

3. Edge Rusher

When the Tar Heels lost Tyler Thompson to the transfer portal back in December, this was a group that we expected would be a lot lower on this list. The good news is that the team was able to retain All-ACC honoree Melkart Abou-Jaoude and his double-digit sacks and was able to add two other key contributors through the transfer portal. Donovan Hoilette comes over from Richmond after a very productive year with the Spiders and Jaylen Harvey brings plenty of promise with him coming over from Penn State, so the rotation is pretty solid heading into the season. Don’t sleep on some of the young guys in this room either, such as Joseph Mupoyi, who could benefit from the year of experience that he has in the system.

2. Linebacker

This is another room that had to be completely restocked this season after nearly everyone who contributed here departed due to graduation or transfer. The staff did a good job scrambling, though, and finding some pieces that should be serviceable enough this season. Richmond transfer Peyton Seelmann brings some nice promise with him from the FCS level and Derek McDonald will slot in nicely beside him after a productive three-year stretch at Syracuse prior to getting injured last year. Behind them are two returnees in Timir Hickman-Collins and Jonathan Agumadu, who could be ready to take a step forward this year, and two true freshmen in Calvin Thomas and DQ Forkpa, who are hungry to prove themselves in the spring. The deeper depth is even looking good with guys like Tyler Houser, Jake Bauer and Lantz Pascal, who could also push for roles this season. This room is going to be the strength of the defense as we head into spring.

1. Running Back

It’s hard to find a room that is more complete than this Tar Heel running back room heading into spring camp. Demon June Jr. is back after a promising start to his Tar Heel career last year and is primed for a big leap this year if he can get the blocking from his offensive line that wasn’t there a year ago. Behind him, the staff is still excited by what they have in Benjamin Hall and Jaylen McGill has plenty of upside with a year of experience now in the system. LSU transfer Kaleb Jackson is the wild card in the room and at least provides some power conference depth for the team. JoJo Troupe and Crew Davis are young guys who cannot be counted out either.  This room is the most secure on the entire roster heading into the spring and has the chance to be the most productive unit on the team this year.