North Carolina’s first official depth chart was recently released via the annual media guide for this coming season, and there were a couple of mild surprises.
The Tar Heels finished 11-3 and ranked No. 15 last season, they won the ACC Coastal Division with an 8-0 mark and reeled off 11-straight wins after losing the opener. It was the longest in-season winning streak in program history.
Senior wide receivers Ryan Switzer, Mack Hollins and Bug Howard have combined for 305 receptions, 4,374 yards and 39 touchdowns in their careers. Surprise Stat: Carolina led the ACC last season with 17 interceptions, was third allowing 187.7 passing yards per game and third in pass efficiency defense with a 109.8 rating. Three of the Heels’ starters from last season are back.
Carolina returns 13 starters on offense and defense and all of the specialists on special teams. Here is the breakdown by class of the depth chart for the offense and defense – special teams not included: Seniors 12; Juniors 17; Sophomores 12; Redshirt Freshmen 10; True freshmen 3.
The following is the depth chart with some notes as we are just weeks from the beginning of fall camp:
OFFENSE
Comment: The only two slots on offense that isn’t loaded with experience is at quarterback and tight end. However, QB Mitch Trubisky has played in the first half or key segments in 10 games in his career, has attempted 125 passes, threw a game-winning score at Virginia in 2014, and last season was ACC Offensive Player of the Week once. The first-team OL has a combined 129 starts in their careers. Final interesting fact: UNC has averaged 400 or more yards a game in just 11 seasons, but four have come in Larry Fedora’s four seasons at the helm. The Tar Heels have a chance at being the most prolific offensive unit in the program’s history this season.
7-16 UPDATE: The OL numbers must be tweaked some with Ferranto now out for the season.
Left Tackle
75 - Bentley Spain (6-6, 300, Jr.)
51 - William Sweet (6-7, 300, RS Fr.)
67 – Charlie Heck (6-7, 295 RS Fr.)
Comment: Spain missed four games with an injury last season, but he played the final eight and made considerable progress. Graded out at 87 percent with five pancake blocks versus Clemson in the ACC title game.
Left Guard
70 - Caleb Peterson (6-5, 300, Sr.)
58 – Nick Polino (6-4, 290 RS Fr.)
Comment: All-ACC a year ago, some observers believe Peterson was the team’s best offensive lineman. A candidate for national awards this season, he could be the anchor of a very experienced unit. Polino is regarded as a grinder and would play for a lot of teams now.
Center
68 - Lucas Crowley (6-3, 290, Sr.)
52 - Tommy Hatton (6-3, 290, RS Fr.)
62 – Mark Uptergraff (6-2, 305, Jr.)
Comment: Crowley is a candidate for national awards for just cause. He played nearly 900 snaps last season, including the ACC title game and bowl game. He’s an All-ACC and an NFL prospect. Hatton was second to Crowley on the depth chart all season, but the staff was fortunate to keep the redshirt on him all season.
Right Guard
77 - John Ferranto (6-5, 300, Sr.)
73 - Brad Henson (6-5, 290, Jr.)
7-16 UPDATE: THI learned Friday that Ferranto suffered an injury earlier this week and will miss the entire 2016 season. Hensen likely will move into the starting spot. He played 173 snaps a year ago at guard and center and is the next most experienced lineman in the program. As for Ferranto, he had played more than 1,200 snaps the last two seasons and was highly repected by the coaching staff.
Right Tackle
71 - Jon Heck (6-6, 310, Sr.)
76 - R.J. Prince (6-6, 310, Jr.)
Comment: Heck really came on strong last season and was All-ACC after playing 918 snaps. An excellent pass blocker, Heck made his most progress in the run game last fall. A huge season from him is possible.
Tight End/Y
82 - Brandon Fritts (6-4, 240, So.)
86 – Carl Tucker (6-2, 240, RS Fr.)
80 – Jake Bargas (6-4, 240 RS Fr.)
Comment: Fritts came on late last season and finished with 16 receptions plus a couple of 2-point conversions. A former HS teammate of Mitch Trubisky’s, Fritts was also a starter on his HS’s state championship basketball team in Ohio.
Quarterback
10 - Mitch Trubsky (6-3, 225, Jr.)
6 – Caleb Henderson (6-3, 225, So.) OR
11 – Nathan Elliott (6-1, 210 RS Fr.)
Comment: Trubisky is 82-125 with 1,014 yards, 11 TDs and 4 INTs in his career. Many of the stats were accumulated during mop up duty, but he has been in games in the first half (the first six in 2014), threw a game-winning TD at Virginia in 2014 when Marquise Williams had to leave the game after his helmet came off. That happened a few times last season as well, and the staff never took it easy on his play call.
Tailback
34 - Elijah Hood (6-0, 230, Jr.)
8 - T.J. Logan (5-10, 190, Sr.)
1 – Khris Francis (5-9, 200, Sr.)
Comment: Hood erupted last season, running for 1,463 yards and scoring 17 TDs. He’s easily one of the top running backs in the nation. Logan has more than 1,500 yards rushing and 47 receptions in his career. Expect the Heels to use him a lot in many different ways this fall.
Wide Receiver
13 - Mack Hollins (6-4, 215, Sr.)
17 – Anthony Ratliff-Williams (6-1, 200, RS Fr.)
15 – Jordan Cunningham (6-2, 190, So.)
Comment: Hollins led the nation in yards per catch last season (24.8), but that number could drop this fall if he’s a more well-rounded receiver, which means catching more possession balls over the middle. That’s a goal, as it will make him a better pro prospect. He has 16 TD receptions over the last two seasons. Ratliff-Williams came in as a QB but moved to WR last August and has developed nicely.
Wide Receiver
3 - Ryan Switzer (5-10, 185, Sr.)
7 - Austin Proehl (5-10, 185, Jr.)
48 – Thomas Jackson (5-11, 195, Jr.)
Comment: Switzer’s numbers say it all: 148 receptions for 1,795 yards and 13 TDs; 83 punt returns for an 11.8 average with 7 TDs; and even 3-4 passing for 105 yards and 2 TDs.
Wide Receiver
84 - Bug Howard (6-5, 210, Sr.)
88 – Jordan Fieulleteau (6-3, 210, Jr.)
18 – Josh Cabrera (6-3, 205, So.)
Comment: Howard has quietly put together a very nice career: 93 receptions, 1,221 yards, 10 TDs. He will assume the role held by Quinshad Davis the last few years, but he’s quicker and faster, so a big season is very possible.
DEFENSE
Comment: The talk about the defense for seven months has been the front line and its struggles stopping the run last season, highlighted in losses to Clemson in the ACC title game and Baylor in the bowl game. A reason for optimism is experience, as this group has far more than last year’s did at this time of the year. The 9 Tar Heels listed on the depth chart that played last season combined for 92 total games and 195 total tackles. On the flip side, the Heels must replace 223 tackles registered at linebacker by Jeff Schoettmer and Shakeel Rashad, who graduated.
Defensive End
17 - Dajaun Drennon (6-4, 255, Jr.)
53 – Malik Carney (6-3, 230, So.)
Comment: Carney saw action in just three games last season, so until he can get some decent experience this spot will be quite green placing even greater importance on Drennon remaining healthy. FYI, Drennon is coming off an injury in the spring, though he was cleared in June and is expected to be at full speed when camp opens Aug. 5. Drennon has started 25 games already.
Defensive Tackle
93 - Robert Dinkins (6-1, 275, So.) OR
49 - Jeremiah Clarke (6-5, 305, So.)
92 - Aaron Crawford (6-1, 310, RS Fr.)
Comment: This spot is up for grabs and all three players will see time. Clarke missed the spring and Crawford was injured in the second game a year ago and was able to redshirt.
Defensive Tackle
90 - Nazair Jones (6-5, 310, Jr.)
97 - Jalen Dalton (6-6, 300, So.)
95 - Tyler Powell (6-4, 290, Jr.)
Comment: Jones is bigger and he’s healthy. If any Tar Heel on defense is primed to explode this season it might be him. Dalton had the redshirt removed in the sixth game last fall and ended with 15 tackles, 2 QB hurries and 2 pass break ups. He played 30 snaps vs. Baylor in the bowl game. He’s also added 20 pounds since last season. Powell battled an injured hip all season, but it’s been repaired and he’s expected at full health in August.
Defensive End
45 - Mikey Bart (6-3, 270, Sr.)
55 – Jason Strowbridge (6-4, 270, RS Fr.)
Comment: Bart started every game last season and led the team with 6.5 sacks. This is the first season in which he will be playing the exact same position he did the previous campaign.
Will Linebacker
36 - Cole Holcomb (6-1, 220, Jr.)
41 – J.B. Copeland (6-3, 225, Jr.)
Comment: Holcomb played in all 14 games a year ago, though mostly on special teams. He registered 15 tackles as an LB and was voted by his teammates in the spring as the player most likely to surprise this season. Copeland was a starter as a true freshman at New Mexico State in 2014, leading the Aggies with 10 tackles in a loss at LSU. Said to be a very physical player, he missed time in spring with an injury.
Mike Linebacker
56 - Andre Smith (6-0, 240, So.)
7 – Jonathan Smith (6-1, 235, Fr.)
Comment: Andre Smith got snaps in the third and sixth series in most every game a year ago and called signals, thus the staff was preparing him for this season. Just a true sophomore, he’s now a leader on defense and the signal caller. He was in on 53 tackles a year ago and had an interception. The other Smith, Jonathan, is a true freshman who was one of the shining stars of spring. He will get on the field.
Sam Linebacker
23 - Cayson Collins (6-1, 235, Jr.)
25 – Ayden Bonilla (6-2, 235, So.)
Comment: Collins had 5 or more tackles in four games in an inconsistent season. The issue for him was fully learning the scheme, but by all accounts that was no longer an issue this past spring. Big things are expected of him.
Cornerback
6 - M.J. Stewart (5-11, 200, Jr.)
18 – Corey Bell, Jr. (5-9, 175, So.)
Comment: In two seasons, Stewart has 88 tackles and 8 interceptions. He might be the best defensive player on the team and best NFL prospect overall. He could have an All-America season.
Free Safety
26 - Dominiquie Green (5-11, 190, Sr.)
21 – Myles Dorn (6-2, 210 Fr.)
Comment: Green has been all over the place on the depth chart in his career, but he has a lot of experience and has produced some really solid numbers: 141 tackles, 5 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, and 9 pass breakups.
Strong Safety
15 - Donnie Miles (5-11, 205, Jr.)
29 - J.K. Britt (6-0, 200, So.)
Comment: Miles had a huge year last fall leading the team with 128 tackles. A physical player, he and Britt make the Tar Heels very strong at this position.
Cornerback
2 - Des Lawrence (6-1, 185, Sr.)
11 – Myles Wolfolk (6-0, 200, Fr.)
Comment: Lawrence was All-ACC a year ago and with improved hands (his own admission) he could be a candidate for a lot of honors. He had 35 tackles and 4 pass breakups a year ago, but really became a leader in the secondary, something that has carried over into this offseason.
Nickelback
6 - M.J. Stewart (5-11, 200, Jr.)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Place-kicker
24 - Nick Weiler (6-0, 190, Sr.)
98 - Freeman Jones (6-0, 200, So.)
Comment: After a so-so season in 2014, Weiler was 20-23 on field goals a year ago, including 4-7 from 40 yards out. He’s on the pre-season Groza Award watch list.
Kickoff Specialist
24 - Nick Weiler (6-0, 190, Sr.)
98 - Freeman Jones (6-0, 200, So.)
Comment: Weiler had 55 touchbacks a year ago after 43 in 2014. He has 117 in his career.
Punter
23 - Joey Mangili (6-3, 205 Sr.)
90 - Corbin Daly (6-3, 200, So.) OR
91 – Hunter Lent (6-5, 230, So.)
Deep Snapper
41 - Kyle Murphy (6-2, 235, Jr.) - PK
61 - Tommy Bancroft (6-4, 215, So.) - P
Holder
23 - Joey Mangili (6-3, 210 Sr.)
90 - Corbin Daly (6-3, 200, So.)
Kickoff Return
8 - T.J. Logan (5-10, 190, Sr.)
Punt Return
3 - Ryan Switzer (5-10, 185, Sr.)
7 - Austin Proehl (5-10, 185, Jr.)
Comment: With 7 career punt returns for TDs, Switzer is 1 punt return for a score from being the all-time NCAA record holder.
