For the second time in three days, the Tar Heels have had a player enter the transfer portal in the midst of fall camp. Veteran depth defensive back Javon Terry announced that he was entering his name into the portal on Saturday and on Monday, he was closely followed by redshirt freshman offensive lineman A.J. Beatty, who announced his decision via social media.
Beatty, who came to Carolina as a strongside defensive end as part of the 2020 recruiting cycle, enters the portal after a little more than a year after joining the program. Beatty did not play for the team a year ago, leading to his redshirt and he made the move to the offensive side of the football prior to this spring. He was taking some snaps at center here at the start of fall camp with the injury to starting center Brian Anderson, but was also sharing those reps with a variety of other interior lineman.
Beatty’s departure is another one, similar to Terry's, that doesn’t really have a major effect on this year’s roster. Even with Anderson banged up, the majority of the snaps at center, judging off of what Asim Richards said to the media on Friday, it appears that the bulk of the snaps at the center position have gone the way of senior Quiron Johnson, who started for Anderson in the game against Wake Forest last year.
The depth at the position still remains strong even behind him, with sophomore Jonathan Adorno and redshirt walk-on Chance Carroll also taking snaps there during this time. The extra depth is always welcome, but this is not a loss that really should move the needle for Tar Heel fans.