Despite having one of the country’s worst defensive units over the past several seasons, the UNC football team produces solid talent at the linebacker position.
Last year, that production came from Cedric Gray, a first-team All-ACC member who led the Tar Heels in tackles and was a fourth-round, 2024 NFL Draft selection by the Tennessee Titans.
Three years earlier, quarterback-turned-linebacker Chazz Surratt led North Carolina’s linebacking unit. Surratt is now a member of the New York Jets, who also seem to produce strong linebackers despite their overall struggles.
Entering UNC’s 2024 campaign, Kaimon Rucker and Power Echols are expected to lead the linebacking corps. Rucker is more of an edge rusher/outside linebacker hybrid, while Echols is more of a traditional backer.
There’s another Tar Heel linebacker who, while not expected to contribute big numbers this coming season, is showing his coaches a lot of future potential.
The linebacker we’re talking about here is Caleb LaVallee, the redshirt freshman who appeared in four games last year.
“He’s getting there,” UNC linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen told InsideCarolina’s Jeremiah Holloway. “He’s starting to remind me of the Gemmels and the Powers and the Ceds. He now looks like a Carolina linebacker, the ones that we’ve had in the past.”
LaVallee is studying everything he can from his more experienced teammates, particularly Echols, whom he is nicknamed “Little Power” after.
“I love Power,” LaVallee said. “He’s been so good to me. (Taking) me under his wing, teaching me, pushing me. So I hope I can be the player that he is one day.”
If LaVallee is progressing like his coaches say, don’t be surprised to see him take the field this fall.
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