When the prospect of Tavien Feaster transferring to Carolina was originally brought up last Wednesday, many Tar Heel supporters shot down the idea that the Heels should add his services. However, I caution fans to cast this idea off so quickly.
The biggest thing that many people overlooked about Feaster was the fact that he may have to sit out a season before playing, no matter the destination. Despite many news outlets saying he would be eligible immediately, Feaster has yet to receive his undergraduate degree from Clemson. If he was not to receive it prior to transferring, he would have to sit out the 2019 season for an FBS team.
Let’s run with this situation for just a second. If this was to come to fruition, should the pursuit of his services not become a strong one? In the best case scenario, the Heels will lose Antonio Williams to graduation, a senior who is expected to heavily contribute to the Tar Heels 2019 rushing attack after doing just that in 2018. If everything was to fall along these lines, the Heels would likely return a strong 1-2 punch for the 2020 season with both Michael Carter and Javonte Williams in place. This problem is, Feaster will be making a decision well before the Heels are able to find out if things pan out that way. There is always the possibility that Carter has a strong enough season, though, that he decides to leave early for the NFL instead of sticking around, leaving the Heels with a lack of major experience at the running back position. This situation alone might be enough to convince the Heels to take a run at Feaster’s services if he has to sit out a season, but Feaster’s upside won't hurt his case either.
In his three seasons at Clemson, the former borderline 5✮ prospect ran for 1,330 yards and 15 touchdowns, but never carried the football more than 107 times in a season, though, so when he has touched the football, he has been effective. His career average of 6.0 yards per carry ranks second all time in Clemson school history. Feaster would bring a change-of-pace speed back to whichever school he lands at, after being deemed one of college football’s ten fastest players prior to last season by Bleacher Report. As Joe Marino of The Draft Network writes his speed combines with his physicality to make him extremely difficult to bring down.
While it is interesting to discuss this possibility, the more likely scenario is that Feaster will graduate this summer and will be eligible for the 2019 season. In that case, it is hard to imagine a scenario where the Heels do go after him. The Heels currently have a three-back rotation that they will use to handle a bulk of the carries, something that already led senior Jordon Brown to transfer during the spring. Barring Michael Carter’s hand injury being a serious one that could cost him extensive time, which currently there are currently no indications of, there is no need for Feaster on this 2019 Tar Heel roster.
Wherever Feaster ends up, he should be a major part of the backfield when he steps on the field. If he won’t be eligible until 2020, the Heels should push to land his services. If he’s eligible immediately, the Heels should and will likely bow out of his race.