Every year, a few players not as prominently on the preseason radar end up contributing much more than expected. That will happen at UNC this year, as well.

We posed the question to THI’s staff, asking who their surprise player for this season will be with one caveat: He can’t be regarded a starter right now. This player must at this time be a reserve.

Here are our pix:

Deana King

DB Myles Dorn - The kid can play and I feel he may get to play a lot in the secondary. He has good size and athleticism to be a breakout player as a freshman for the Heels.

John Gwaltney

DT Jalen Dalton - I went with Jalen Dalton as my breakout player previously, but think he fits under this category, too. He gained on-the-field experience when his redshirt was removed last season and has added 20 pounds to his frame, which should serve him well as the top backup to Nazir Jones coming into the season.

Matthew Hatfield

DT Aaron Crawford - Hurt a season ago with a left foot fracture, Crawford can go a long way towards strengthening a UNC defense against that had trouble stopping the run in stretches, most notably in their bowl loss to Baylor. The 6-foot-1, 310-pound redshirt freshman out of Stone Bridge HS in Virginia offers the ability to clog the middle, but also is someone that can help in getting after the quarterback.

If starting, my next choice would be Malik Carney (using my VA homerism here lol)

DE Malik Carney - You can never have enough pass rushers and Carney was a guy that did that up in Alexandria, VA, playing for T.C. Williams, where he made 13 sacks his senior year there. Last season as a redshirt freshman, he showed some glimpses, such as posting four tackles in the win at Illinois. Look for him to further embrace and adapt to Gene Chizik's system by giving them another guy off the edge that helps out Dajaun Drennon and Mikey Bart getting after QB's.

Jarrod Hardy

LB Jonathan Smith - The former Scotland County star is going to be a good one in Carolina Blue. Being an early enrollee has given the freshman LB a chance to be able to learn and get some experience, that will come in handy the season. Expect a decent year for Smith, for the young core of LB.

Andrew Jones

LB J.B. Copeland – This group has some speed and athleticism, and those guys can certainly hit, but it could also use a glass-eating ruffian on the field, too, and from all accounts on the team, one thing Copeland can do is hit. Copeland still has a way to go learning the terminology and scheme, but once he gets it he will be a viable option in tight situations, and perhaps more.