As of this writing, 17 North Carolina players have formally entered the transfer portal, and in only a few cases, will the departures have an effect on how UNC’s staff approaches bringing in new players from the portal.

Redshirt freshman cornerback Tayon Holloway, who played 349 snaps this season, and redshirt freshman wide receiver/kickoff returner Doc Chapman would have both factored into Carolina’s rotations next season. So, they must be replaced.

In addition, redshirt freshman linebacker Sebastian Cheeks would have competed for a significant role, but he has also entered the portal.

So, what will be the Tar Heels’ priorities over the next few weeks bringing new players into the program?

In the second of this two-part series, we look at the defense: