The news around Tar Heel football had been quiet during the holiday weekend, as the Tar Heels prepared for their bowl game in San Diego after putting a bow on their 2023 early signing period class and adding a couple of transfers, as well. Now, just hours before the team is set to face Oregon in the Holiday Bowl, the news cycle has begun to turn again, as the team has landed another veteran transfer from a fellow ACC school.
Just a short time ago, former Georgia Tech slot receiver Nate McCollum announced his commitment to the Tar Heels over Cincinnati for his final two seasons of eligibility. His commitment a week and half after his official visit to Chapel Hill as part of a group of five which the team has now landed four commitments from.
McCollum will come to Chapel Hill off of a really nice 2022 season. He led the Yellow Jackets in receptions (60), receiving yards (655) and tied for the lead in receiving touchdowns (3), all while dealing with a relatively unstable quarterback situation throughout the season. McCollum also did a solid job handling the punt return duties this past season, an area where the Tar Heels do need some help after the departure of Josh Downs and Cam’Ron Kelly. McCollum finishes his Georgia Tech career with 75 catches for 778 yards and four touchdowns.
McCollum’s addition is a strong one for a Tar Heel wide receiving corps that is undergoing an overhaul, but has a ton of pieces heading into next season. McCollum’s addition does bring about the question of where Kobe Paysour will play after he spent the majority of this season as the backup guy in the slot. This could allow him to provide some help on the outside where the Tar Heels will lack proven threats besides Kent State transfer Devontez Walker. The good news is that when you combine these two additions from the portal with the freshman class that they signed last Wednesday, this room is loaded with both talent and depth.