CHAPEL HILL – Dyami Brown has only been in college for a little more than a year, but he could already be the leader of North Carolina’s wide receiver group.

With Anthony Ratliff-Williams off to the NFL a year early, Brown suddenly assumed the role as the guy in that room, even though he was a true freshman last fall. The Charlotte native isn’t overwhelmed, though, he’s ready for the responsibility because of how keenly he observed Ratliff-Williams.

“Just watching him, playing with him on the other side, I can just take that step forward and just be better,” Brown said. “Because I’ve learned from him, I’ve watched him, all I do is put knowledge in my head and keep competing.”

Brown had a fair season for a newcomer, catching at least one pass in all 10 games he played in even though he had a season total of 17 receptions for 173 yards. His high game was three catches at East Carolina and his lone touchdown came in a win at home over Pittsburgh.

In addition to being more vocal and stepping somewhat into Ratliff-Williams’ shoes, Brown set out to improve his own game while building an on-field bond with the guys who will throw him the ball this fall.

“Getting chemistry with the quarterbacks and pretty much the ball skills,” Brown said were his main focal points of the winter and carrying into the spring and summer. “Playing the ball in the air. I’d say that’s my biggest accomplishment.”

Carolina has ushered in a new offense, one that’s designed to be faster than the spread the team ran under the previous regime, but when asked about what he’s had to adjust to the most learning Air Raid, Brown went back to a constant theme since last winter.

“It’s just taking the role that I have to take of being a leader and giving all effort every single day and being the best player I can be in practice throughout the day,” he said.

Perhaps taking on a layer of gravitas is in part because Brown will literally be a big brother on the team this season. His younger brother, Khafre Brown, also a former 4-star prospect, is a true freshman Tar Heels’ receiver arriving this summer.

“I just take it back to high school,” Dyami said. “Even when we were younger, he always followed me. I’ll just be his role model being the big brother that I am and just brining him along with us.”

Of course, to lead a player must also produce, and Brown has an integral tool that will help him excel in the new offense or any offense for that matter.

“Dyami has the number one thing you need and that’s speed,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said. “He can really run.”

And his game has become more refined, thanks to new receivers coach Lonnie Galloway.

What’s impressed Dyami about Galloway is his attention to detail and doing everything right every time. Not that the previous staff didn’t preach that, but perhaps it’s just resonating more now.

“He’s a wonderful coach,” Dyami said. “He teaches effort every day, and if we don’t have effort it won’t fall into playing time. And he teaches us the fundamentals every day.”

And Brown is leading every day, perhaps greatly inspired by his brother coming on board, but he was probably going to step up anyway. That’s who he’s become.