With North Carolina one week away from playing its opener, THI continues looking at UNC's position groups and projects what we think is the current depth chart.

Now, with practice closed to the media since camp opened due to concerns regarding COVID-19, we have not been there to see the players or get an in-person feel for the team, but through a multitude of oom interviews and our understanding of the program, we have put this together using that information.

UNC went 7-6 last season with its losses by a combined 24 points. The Tar Heels return 10 starters on offense and seven on defense.

We conclude this nine-part series looking at special teams:

Kicker

Noah Ruggles (6-2, 185, Jr.) – Ruggles was efficient in his short game, as he converted all 45 extra points and was 9-for-9 inside 29 yards. He was 7-for-9 from between 30-39 yards, 3-6 from between 40-49 yards and missed all three of his attempts outside of 50 yards. One of the long misses came at the conclusion of a three-point loss at home to Appalachian State. Two other misses occurred in overtime of a six-OT loss at Virginia Tech.

Grayson Atkins (5-10, 188, Sr.) – Atkins was perfect inside or 39 yards and on the season was 13-for-15 as a junior at Furman. His longest conversion came from 55 yards out. Atkins was 48-for-50 on PATs.

Career at Furman: 132-138 PATs, 33-for-41 on field goal attempts with 231 points.

Jonathan Kim (6-1, 180, Soph.) – Kim converted both of his PAT attempts and failed on his lone field goal attempt, which was from beyond 50 yards. He actually won the starting job for the Duke game, but Mack Brown didn’t like the way the miss looked and went back to Ruggles after the miss.

Kickoff Specialist

Jonathan Kim (6-1, 180, Soph.) – Kim kicked off 33 times, 12 of which were returned for and average of 19.1 yards. He had 21 touchbacks and his hangtime was 3.71.

Grayson Atkins (5-10, 188, Sr.) – At Furman, Atkins kicked off 77 times with 39 touchbacks.

Cooper Graham (6-1, 200, Jr.) – Graham kicked off seven times with five returned for an average of 22.4 yards. Two were touchbacks and his hangtime was 3.64.

Punter

Ben Kiernan (5-11, 205, Soph.) – Kiernan punted the ball 60 times for an average of 41.2 yards. His longest punt went for 63 yards, 18 of his kecks went inside the opponents’ 20-yard-line, 17 kicks were returned and 23 were fair caught.

Jonathan Kim (6-1, 180, Soph.) – Did not punt last season in a game but got regular work in practice.

Grayson Atkins (5-10, 188, Sr.) – Atkins was also the Paladins’ punter, as he had 39 attempts for an average of 43.46 yards per kick. Nine punts were fair caught and two were touchbacks.

Longsnapper

Drew Little (6-0, 200, Soph.) – UNC’s only holder on punts, Little played 60 snaps without a bad snap.

Trevor Collins (6-2, 235, Sr.) – UNC’s snapper for extra points and field goals, Collins had 79 snaps last season with no major incidents.

Holder

Cooper Graham (6-1, 200, Jr.) – UNC’s holder for PATs and field goals, Graham was in for 79 snaps, 77 of which he held the ball with no miscues.

Punt Returner

Dazz Newsome (5-11, 190, Sr.) – Newsome lined up to return 41 punts but actually ran on just 12 of them averaging 6.75 yards per return. For his career, Newsome has 31 punt returns for an average of 11.8 yards with one TD. Newsome has game-breaking potential, as he showed in a touchdown return at Syracuse two seasons ago.

Rontavius Groves (5-11, 195, Sr.) – Groves lined up for one punt return but did not run the ball.

Josh Downs (5-9, 160, Fr.) – Downs is very fast and shifty, and has been awfully impressive since arriving in the summer. Mack Brown said h will return kicks, which might mean both kickoffs and punts.

Kick Returner

Josh Downs (5-9, 160, Fr.) – See above.

Rontavius Groves (5-11, 195, Sr.) – Brown said Groves is in the mix to return kicks. Groves returned a punt last season.

Khafre Brown (6-1, 180, RS Fr.) – Brown is fast and is shifty. He was an outstanding kick returner in high school and a big-time performer in track and field. His older brother, Dyami, has turned into an excellent receiver, and Khafre was regarded as the better prospect coming out of high school.

Ja’Qurious Conley (6-2, 190, Fr.) – Conley has big-time kickoff return potential. He’s fast, has excellent hands and can find seams and quickly dart through them. He averaged 34 yards a return last season in high school. Maybe he will get a good look in camp.

Michael Carter (5-10, 200, Sr.) – Carter was a regular on the kickoff return team last season but we've been given no indication he will be this season. He could, but we've heard only other names related to this spot. However, we're keeping him on the list just in case.

Carter was on the field for 61 kickoff returns, of which the Tar Heels ran back just 24. Carter had 19 of the returns, averaging 24.5 yards per return with a long of 75 yards. Carter is a solid kick returner. He finds and hits his lane hard and takes care of the football.

Career return stats: 90 reps on kickoff returns with 21 actual returns for 23.53 yards per run.

Note: We are unsure of the order here, as we haven't gotten much information about this since camp opened. Not being able to see some practices has made the return spots on special teams as challenging as anything else to project.

The kicking game is in solid shape but Mack Brown has stated multiple times it must be better. Incumbents are at each of the kicking spots, but Grayson Atkins handled all three roles last year at Furman and put up impressive numbers, so he will have a chance to win one or more of the kicking jobs. At this time, that competition is ongoing, per Brown earlier this week.

As for returns, Brown has been clear Downs is in the mix as is Toe Groves. Newsome had a solid track record returning punts and Carter returned kickoffs a year ago, including one that went 75 yards. We believe the Heels will be better in coverage and returns, but aren't yet certain the kicking element will be much improved. The jury is out there.