Tag: UNC Football

Why Tennessee Titans aced their Cedric Gray NFL Draft selection

Cedric Gray is officially a Tennessee Titan. How will the former Tar Heel fare in his rookie year?

Former UNC standout linebacker Cedric Gray was amongst the best in college football over the past three seasons, recording 100 tackles in each campaign and leading North Carolina each season.

Gray was undoubtedly the leader on a largely struggling defensive unit, always seemingly the first to wrap up an opposing ballcarrier. Gray’s a 2-time, First-Team All-ACC member (2022, 2023), plus he boosted his NFL Draft stock big time with last season’s performance (121 tackles, including 11 for loss, along with five sacks).

I was a bit surprised to not see Gray’s name called on Friday, but he was one of the first players off the board Saturday, as the Tennessee Titans took him with the 106th overall pick – in the Fourth Round – of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The greatest asset Gray brings to Tennessee is his versatilty, as he’s shown the ability to contribute effectively in both the passing and running game. He has 369 career tackles, 18 pass deflections and five interceptions, plus his six forced fumbles (and five recoveries) show he’s strong in ball pursuit.

With how the Titans’ defensive fared last season, I think Gray will be best utilized in the run game, as Tennessee ranked fifth across the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.8).

Tennessee’s talented linebacking corps already includes Harold Landry III, Arden Key and Kenneth Murray.

Gray is now the latest stud to join that unit.

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Tez Walker selected No. 113 by Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens select Tez Walker out of North Carolina in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

From “Free Tez” chants for wrongfully being sidelined to lining up on Sundays, [autotag]Devontez Walker[/autotag] story just got better after being selected with the No. 113  pick in 2024 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

Walker won’t have to leap over any eligibility huddles anymore, finding his new home with the Ravens. Walker might’ve not been Tar Heel long, but the fight he endured just to get on the field stamped his legacy and brought the nation together.

The Ravens are a great fit for Walker, as he should serve as a reliable target for Lamar Jackson who is coming off another MVP season.

Walker first showed his skills at Kent University, having a breakout sophomore season with 921 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns (Most in MAC that season). The four-star recruit landed with UNC following the season, and despite missing significant time due he still finished seventh in the ACC for receiving touchdowns (7).

In the eight games Walker did play in, he showcased his elite footwork, snagging 41 catches for 699 receiving yards. He had a monstrous game against Virginia, catching 11 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. He had an even more dominate game in the win against Duke, exploding for 162 yards on seven catches (23.1 YPG).

Walker becomes the third Tar Heel drafted and went just a few picks after Cedric Gray.

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PHOTOS: Drake Maye introduced by New England Patriots

Photos from Drake Maye being introduced as the quarterback of the New England Patriots for the first time.

The New England Patriots got their guy. On Thursday night, New England stayed put at No. 3 overall and selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye to hopefully be the next franchise quarterback for the Patriots.

Maye joins the Patriots after three years with the Tar Heels, including the last two as the starter.

Ever since New England moved on from Tom Brady a few years back, they have struggled to find a replacement. They tried Cam Newton, drafted Mac Jones and will now look at Maye to be that guy.

But before Maye hits the practice field for rookie minicamp, he was introduced for the first time. Check out some photos of Maye being introduced and meeting the Patriots.

 

Cedric Gray selected No. 106 overall by Tennessee Titans in the 2024 NFL Draft

Cedric Gray joins the Tennessee Titans as the team took him No. 106 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

UNC’s defensive leader [autotag]Cedric Gray[/autotag] lands with the Tennessee Titans in the 2024 NFL draft, becoming the second Tar Heel of the board.  After a long wait, Gray was taken No. 106 overall by Tennessee as the sixth pick in the second round. 

Gray is a great addition to a stacked/rebuilding defense, and with experience on the college level, he’s one of the more pro-ready players in the draft. A Tar Heel since day one, exploding onto the scene his sophomore season, Gray’s ability to dominate opposition through blitz and coverage. 

In four seasons, Gray finished with 368 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 13 pass deflections, five forced fumbles, and five interceptions. Gray has finished top five every year in the ACC for tackles since 2021. 

 The UNC football program will miss Gray’s vocal leadership, as he led the locker room in the way your defensive captain should. On and off the field, Gray has made an impact, and that should continue on the next level. 

The Titans are a team that is trying to rebuild, backed by their young quarterback in Will Levis who they took in the 2023 NFL Draft. They aren’t the best defense in the league but adding a player like Gray to build around is a good start.

Gray will also have the chance to go up against some young and talented quarterbacks in the AFC South with CJ Stroud in Houston, Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, and Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis.

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Class of 2026 QB target Noah Grubbs praises UNC during recent visit

Will UNC’s quarterback-centered offense be enough to swing Class of 2026 QB Noah Grubbs?

Can you believe the start of college football season is just four months away?

We’ve been celebrating the NFL Draft here in Tar Heel Nation, with star UNC quarterback Drake Maye going third overall to the New England Patriots on Thursday night, but we’re equally as excited about the future.

North Carolina held its Spring Football Game on Saturday, April 20, with the main focus a quarterback competition between Conner Harrell and Max Johnson. The latter will be gone in two years, as Johnson’s currently a junior, leaving the Tar Heel with a major need for more quarterbacks in the future.

Luckily for UNC, one of its Class of 2026 targets in 4-star quarterback Noah Grubbs, left the Spring game with a strong impression.

“My visit was great,” Grubbs told Tar Heel Illustrated’s Lee Wardlaw. “It meant a lot to my family and I that Coach Mack Brown and Coach Chip Lindsey really prioritized us on the visit. The university means more to my family than anyone could imagine. Honestly, we were blown away.”

One area in particular Grubbs liked – how North Carolina’s offense is so quarterback-focused.

“Yes, I really like his (Coach Chip Lindsey’s) offense, and he lets the quarterback ‘just play’ without thinking,’ Grubbs said. “It’s ‘easy read,’ and I love how balanced the offense is. Coach Lindsey really knows how to make it simple for the quarterbacks to go through their progressions and make decisions. It also showcases a lot of our ability to stretch the field vertically.”

You’ll want Grubbs in Chapel Hill even more after seeing his high school statline, as he has a whopping 5,263 yards and 66 touchdowns in just 24 total games.

Grubbs, the nation’s third-ranked quarterback, is also getting looks from Auburn, Florida, Michigan, Miami, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas A&M and UCF.

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UNC leads North Carolina in NFL Draft selections

If you follow the NFL Draft closely, chances are you’ve seen a former North Carolina Tar Heel selected in the first round.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are no stranger to recent struggles against NC State in its football rivalry, while archrival Duke is a team UNC typically beats.

Wake Forest is proving to be another solid in-state college football program, East Carolina is no stranger to success (look at the early-mid 2000s), NC Central performs well at the FCS level, while App State is the Tar Heel State’s most consistently-successful program.

Regardless of what collegiate football program you talk about in North Carolina, the Tar Heels own one impressive distinction in their home state: most first-round NFL Draft picks, leading their state with 25.

Drake Maye, the 2022 ACC Player and Rookie of the Year who threw for 8,018 yards and 63 touchdowns in his UNC career, was chosen third overall by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6OqnpQr3xM/

The full list of North Carolina’s first round draft picks is highlighted by Hall-of-Famers Lawrence Taylor and Julius Peppers, but also includes, in order of year selected: Ken Willard (1965), Don McCauley (1971), Ken Huff (1975), Taylor and Donnell Thompson (1981), Brian Blados (1984), Ethan Horton (1985), 3-time Super Bowl Chapmion Harris Barton (1987), Thomas Smith (1993), Marcus Jones (1996), Vonnie Holliday, Brian Simmons and 2007 Pro Bowler Greg Ellis (1998), Ebenezer Ekuban (1999), Peppers and Ryan Sims (2002), Kentwan Balmer (2008), Hakeem Nicks (2009), Robert Quinn (2011), Quinton Coples (2012), Jonathan Cooper and Sylvester Williams (2013), Eric Ebron (2014), Mitch Trubisky (2017) and Maye (2024).

Here’s to hoping Maye enjoys a successful career like most of his UNC first-round predecessors.

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Cedric Gray, Tez Walker amongst best remaining NFL Draft prospects on Day 2

Will Cedric Gray and Tez Walker’s strong football careers at UNC land them decent spots in the 2024 NFL Draft?

Day 1 of the NFL Draft on Thursday, April 25 was no shortage of excitement.

Several teams found their quarterbacks of the future, the Carolina Panthers traded up to get their next big receiver and the Atlanta Falcons made a head-scratching selection at eighth overall, selecting Michael Penix Jr. after committing $100+ million to Kirk Cousins in the offseason.

One of the top names off the draft board was UNC football legend Drake Maye, who was selected third overall by the New England Patriots. Maye joins a storied AFC East franchise looking to get back to its early 2000s-glory.

Maye isn’t the only former North Carolina Tar Heel expected to be chosen in the NFL Draft.

Just moments ahead of Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, April 26, UNC linebacker Cedric Gray and wide receiver Tez Walker are ranked amongst USA Today’s 125 best remaining NFL Draft prospects.

Gray, ranked 88th, earned First Team All-ACC Honors in each of the past two seasons. He led North Carolina with 121 tackles in 2023, one of two Tar Heels to hit the century mark (Power Echols), while also sacking opposing quarterbacks five times, generating seven quarterback hurries, four pass breakups, plus forcing a team-high two fumbles and recovering a team-high two.

Walker, ranked 109th, is one of the more underrated wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. He only played in eight games for the Tar Heels last year, but led them with seven receiving touchdowns while adding 699 receiving yards (second-most). Walker’s season was shortened due to initially being ruled ineligible, a decision which was eventually flipped.

According to Gray’s NFL Draft Scouting report, there’s a decent chance he gets selected tonight. If Walker isn’t selected today, he’ll definitely be gone by tomorrow.

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WATCH: Reliving a few NFL Draft memories for former Tar Heels

Make sure you watch this throwback video of former UNC football stars hearing their names called in the NFL Draft.

All of Tar Heel Nation’s attention on Thursday, April 25 was turned towards the NFL Draft.

Fans wondered where Drake Maye, the record-setting quarterback who played himself into Heisman Trophy contention and was the 2022 ACC Rookie and Player of the Year, would be selected. Several mock drafts had Maye to the New England Patriots, while others had the Washington Commanders calling his name.

When the third overall pick rolled around, it was New England who chose Maye. The Patriots are hoping he can break their bad luck streak at quarterback, with no one finding sustained success under center since Tom Brady briefly retired.

Maye isn’t the only former Tar Heel to hear his name called on Draft Day in the past 25 years.

Take a look at this highlight reel the UNC football program posted to its Instagram page, as a few North Carolina legends walked the stage during their draft days.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6MQfI8LIIb/

Julius Peppers is the greatest defensive player to come out of Chapel Hill since Lawrence Taylor, with both being amongst the top defensive players in college and NFL history.

Peppers ranks fourth in NFL history with 159.5 sacks, plus he played in 266 of 272 games – sixth-most by a defensive player. Peppers also had a penchant for terrorizing opponents in college, ranking second all-time in UNC history with 30.5 sacks.

Javonte Williams was part of a deadly rushing duo with Michael Carter, as both Tar Heels ran for 1,000 yards during the COVID-altered 2020 campaign. Williams is now starting for the Denver Broncos, totaling 2,501 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns.

Hakeem Nicks earned First Team All-ACC honors in 2008, catching 68 passes for 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns that year at North Carolina. He was a Super Bowl Champion with the New York Giants in 2012, the highlight of his 7-year NFL career that included 5,081 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns.

Mitch Trubisky hasn’t played to the standards of the 2017 NFL Draft’s second overall pick, only eclipsing 3,000 yards in a season twice (2018, 2019). He started for one season at UNC, posting 3,748 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, then has bounced around since the Chicago Bears selected him.

Josh Downs is the latest talented wide receiver to come out of Chapel Hill, with the Indianapolis Colts selecting him in the third round of last year’s NFL Draft.

Downs was a 2-time, First Team All-ACC honoree (2021, 2022), ending his Tar Heel career with 2,483 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. Downs quickly ascended up Indy’s depth chart to the number two receiver behind Michael Pittman Jr., finishing his rookie season with 771 receiving yards (seventh-most amongst rookie pass-catchers) and two touchdowns.

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PHOTOS: Drake Maye selected by New England Patriots

A look at the best photos from Thursday as Drake Maye is selected by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The quarterback went third overall to the New England Patriots after Caleb Williams went No. 1 and Jayden Daniels went No. 2. Maye is heading to New England to hopefully be the team’s franchise quarterback for years to come after they haven’t been able to replace Tom Brady.

It was a special day and night for Maye and his family, hitting the read carpet and then walking across the stage to hold the Patriots’ jersey. But when it’s all done, he will have to get to work in Foxborough and start his rookie offseason on a positive note.

Here are some photos from Maye of the night in Detroit:

Drake Maye gets to meet childhood hero at NFL draft

A childhood dream of former UNC standout quarterback Drake Maye came true at Thursday’s NFL Draft.

The dreams of several young football players came to fruition on Thursday, April 25 at the 2024 NFL draft.

Caleb Williams went first to the Chicago Bears, as many expected, while Jayden Daniels headed to the Washington Commanders.

UNC fans might recognize the third pick.

Drake Maye, the young, talented quarterback who caught national attention over the past two years as North Carolina’s starting quarterback, is the newest member of the New England Patriots.

Maye is an immediate upgrade from Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones, the latter of whom never lived up to his first-round selection in 2021. During his time as a Tar Heel, Maye threw for 8,018 yards and 63 touchdowns, while adding 1,209 rushing yards and 16 more scores on the ground.

Being selected third wasn’t the only exciting moment for Maye, though.

Moments before he heard his name called, Maye met his childhood hero, Cam Newton, the former national champion at Auburn and first selection in the 2011 NFL draft.

Not only is Newton the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, but he also was one of the sports’ best quarterbacks at the peak of his career. Newton won the 2015 NFL MVP award, led the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl that year and wreaked havoc on opposing defenses.

You can tell from the above interview – Newton made an impression on Maye from a young age. Maye spoke about watching the 2011 NFL draft from his couch, remembering how excited he was when the Panthers chose Newton.

Now, playing football outside of his home state for the first time, Maye hopes to become the next NFL legend with North Carolina ties.

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