Published Aug 21, 2023
Maye, Gray Named Preseason AP Second-Team All-Americans
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Andrew Jones  •  TarHeelIllustrated
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Two Tar Heels were voted onto the Associated Press Preseason Second-Team All-America squad that was announced Monday.

Sophomore quarterback Drake Maye and senior linebacker Cedric Gray got the honors. Both were named preseason first-team All-ACC players as well.

Maye is coming off a season in which he completed 342-of-517 passes (66.2 percent) for 4,321 yards and 38 TDs, while rushing for 698 yards and seven touchdowns.

At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Maye finished second nationally in total offense per game (358.5), sixth in passing yards (308.6) and tied for fifth in passing touchdowns (38). He tied for third nationally and ranked second in the Power 5 with 45 total touchdowns (38 pass, 7 rush) and 272 points accounted for. Last season, he set single-season records at UNC for yards passing (4,321), completions (342) and attempts (517) while tying the single-season record for touchdown passes with 38.

Maye was the 2022 ACC Player of the Year.

Gray, a senior linebacker, was in on 145 tackles last season, including 82 solo stops, a sack, 12 TFL, two INTs, six PBU, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries last season for the Tar Heels. His 145 tackles and 82 solos led all Power 5 players.

Gray is also on each of the three defensive preseason award watch lists (Bednarik, Butkus and Nagurski) entering the 2023 season.

*Some of this information was taken from UNC press releases.