After 13 players entered the transfer portal yesterday for the Tar Heels with the window officially opening. Tuesday morning, the team lost arguably their most significant piece yet in the form of another young linebacker.
Redshirt freshman Sebastian Cheeks announced via his social media this morning that he will enter the portal. He will have three years of eligibility remaining wherever he lands.
Cheeks played in eleven games in the last two seasons, including eight this year, with most of the snaps coming on special teams. The Chicago, IL native was in line for the primary backup role at linebacker last year as a true freshman but was lost for the season to an upper-body injury after just three games. This year, he had the opportunity to win that primary backup job once again but was beaten out by Amare Campbell in fall camp and was never really able to get to the point where the team could use him on important downs.
With Cheek's departure, the team has lost the guy that was set to be the primary backup for the team this season with Cedric Gray heading to the NFL. Now, the Tar Heels have to find the guy who can rotate in behind incumbent starter Power Echols and potential new starter Amare Campbell, who was the primary backup this season. Current true freshmen Caleb LaVallee and Michael Short and incoming true freshmen Ashton Woods, Evan Bennett and Crews Law will all have the opportunity to earn some early playing time when the team returns to the field in the spring. This is also a spot that the team could look to bring someone in from the transfer portal over the next month.
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