Freshman Profile: Tight End Ryan Ward
CHAPEL HILL – With 21 true freshmen enrolling early at North Carolina, the program has made each of them available to the media to learn more about them and allow fans to get some insight into the newest Tar Heels.
One of the newest Tar Heels we spoke with is tight end Ryan Ward. Below is his bio, notes about the conversation, and the interview. Note, the interview was done right before spring practice started.
UNC’s bio on Ward:
Ryan Ward
Tight End
6-foot-4, 240 pounds
Rutherford (NJ) High School
• An early enrollee who is a three-star prospect ranked as the nation’s ninth-best tight end and the No. 12 player in New Jersey by ESPN
• An all-state, three-time all-conference and two-time all-county selection
•Led Rutherford to back-to-back 10-1 seasons and three consecutive NJIC titles
• Posted 85 receptions for 1,823 yards and 27 TDs on offense, while tallying 139 tackles, 17 sacks, and 31 TFL on defense during his prep career
• Named USA Today All-New Jersey and Jersey Sports Zone All-Zone Public Team as a senior • Caught 24 passes for 654 yards and nine TDs to go along with 13 carries for 49 yards and five TDs
• Tallied 91 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 22 TFL, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two INTs, re-
turning one for a TD
• Notched 35 receptions for 776 yards and 13 TDs as a junior
• Added 26 tackles, 4.5 sacks, nine TFL, two forced fumbles and an INT return for a TD
• Posted 26 receptions for 393 yards and five TDs during his first two prep seasons
• Also competed in basketball, track and field and lacrosse
• Earned all-conference honors in the discus and javelin
• Earned Max Honors academically as a junior and senior
• A three-time winner of the Board of Education Award
• Brother, Evan, plays football at Rutgers
Here are some notes and excerpts from what Ward had to say:
*The weather is certainly different in Chapel Hill than New Jersey.
“It’s definitely not as cold as New Jersey, but it gets chilly sometimes.”
Home is an eight-hour drive, and Ward says his parents make the trip south to see him about once a month.
*Ward’s Wow moment was…?
“I feel like every day I’m saying, ‘wow, this is college football.’ When I’m in the weight room, when I’m in the classroom. I just took an exam today, and now I’m getting interviewed by you guys (laughter). It’s kind of crazy how life has just turned like that. It’s definitely been for the better, and this transition has been fun.”
*At the time we spoke with him, Ward said he needed to gain seven more pounds, and talked about the difficulty of gaining weight while also working out so vigorously.
“I do love the food here. But I eat a lot because we burn so many calories. It’s hard to gain weight. The food’s been good here. I don’t feel like I’m eating too much, I feel like I’m not eating enough actually.”
*Ward entered a room that already had accomplished players in John Copenhaver and Bryson Nesbit, but also Julien Randolph, who was injured last season, and brought in Jake Johnson from Texas A&M. It’s a loaded room.
“It’s awesome. Just that addition to the two guys we already have, and the coaching, it’s unbeatable. That’s why I ultimately stayed here and came here. It’s like Tight End U.”