When you have arguably the top quarterback and one of the best linebackers in college football, chances are you’re going to be pretty good.
In this case, that top quarterback is Drake Maye and that talented linebacker is Cedric Gray, both key parts of the UNC football squad.
Because of their on-field success in 2022, Maye and Grey were named to College Football News’ Top 30 ACC Players list.
Maye is CFN’s top-ranked player, while Gray is the second-ranked linebacker at 11th.
Maye came into last season as Sam Howell’s replacement and ended it as one of the best players in college football. He and his Tar Heel teammates bolted off to a 9-1 start, including wins over in-state rivals App State, Wake Forest and Duke. Maye’s 4,321 passing yards were fourth in the FBS, while his 937 rushing yards led the Heels.
The stats are impressive, but Maye goes far beyond the numbers. He’s a type of player who can sit pretty in the pocket and pick apart a defense with his accurate, rocket arm, scramble and find a receiver on the run or, if the play breaks down, can escape pressure and sprint pass the secondary for a long touchdown.
Among the likes of USC’s Caleb Williams, Oregon’s Bo Nix, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Florida State’s Jordan Travis, Maye is one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy this season.
Cedric Gray was one of the anchors of an otherwise-unreliable UNC defense last year, one which allowed the sixth-most yards (5,697) among FBS schools.
Gray, named UNC’s defensive MVP according to his player bio, finished third in the country last season with 144 tackles. He won ACC Linebacker of the Week for his 14-tackle performance in the win against Georgia State, a game-high 13 tackles in the loss against Notre Dame, plus a career-high 16 tackles in the close, 31-28 victory over Virginia. In the postseason against Clemson and Oregon, Gray totaled 15 tackles (three for loss).
Though he’s known for his ability to find the opposing ballcarrier, Gray can drop back to help the defense in coverage. Gray forced three fumbles and deflected eight passes in 2022.
If Maye and Gray play to the best of their abilities, Carolina could be a very dangerous team in the Fall.
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