Two UNC football standouts amongst CBS Sports’ top 151 players

With all the turnover within the UNC football program this offseason, there’s a lot of mystery in Chapel Hill entering the 2024 campaign.

There was just one major coaching change, as Geoff Collins replaces Gene Chizik at defensive coordinator, but the roster changes are far greater, headlined by the departures of quarterback Drake Maye and wide receiver Tez Walker to the NFL.

Despite the roster changes, North Carolina returns two of college football’s best at their respective positions: running back Omarion Hampton and linebacker Kaimon Rucker.

CBS Sports also recognizes the talent amongst the Tar Heels’ star-studded 2024 duo, with Rucker (59) and Hampton (64) taking Top-75 spots in CBS Sports’ rankings of college football’s Top 151 players.

Check out what CBS Sports first had to say about Rucker, who led UNC with 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2023:

“Rucker is somewhat undersized, but doesn’t let that keep him from the quarterback,” CBS Sports’ Blake Brockermeyer wrote. “He plays with a demonic edge and is a great team leader. North Carolina has plenty of raw talent on defense, but Rucker is one of the few who has put it all together.”

Let’s now shift over to Hampton, who led the ACC and finished fifth amongst 2023 running backs with 1,504 rushing yards:

“Hampton led the ACC with almost six yards a touch en route to a 1,500-yard, 15-touchdowns season,” Brockermeyer wrote. “The bruising back added another 30 catches for 232 yards and a touchdown. Hampton had 36 explosive runs and excels in the zone scheme where he can cut back at the lineman’s heels. Excellent feet and tough to arm tackle. An area for improvement? He had three fumbles last season.”

If the Tar Heels can get consistent contributions from both Hampton and Rucker on a weekly basis, they could surprise some folks in the ACC this season.