Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all you Tar Heel Blog readers. It is Christmas afternoon here at the THB, and hopefully you all got what you wanted this morning, whether it be in presents or just a relaxing start to the day. Since it is Christmas Day, I thought it would be fun to look at some of the “presents” that the Tar Heel football team might be able to get once the portal opens next Friday.
Now first off, I am only looking at players that have currently declared for the portal. If a big
name declares after the second round of the CFP at a position of need, obviously they too may be considered, but I am not a mind reader (if I were, I wouldn’t be here, I would be playing poker in Vegas). Secondly, I am basing our needs off the great work that fellow writer David did several weeks ago following the early signing period. It’s pretty extensive, but doesn’t cover every position. So, if you feel like we need a new punter or kicker or long snapper, you need to take that up with him. Thirdly, I am only going to list a couple options per position, mainly a home run pick and a wildcard option. In other words, we may need three new linebackers, but I am not going to list off six.
Finally, I have no inside information here; these are all just the players I would go after if I was making the decisions. Additionally, even though I would love all the home run picks, I know that we can’t get all of them due to finances and other schools and all that jazz.
So with that, here are some wish list gifts for the North Carolina Transfer Portal:
Quarterback
Home run pick: Josh Hoover, TCU
When picking the quarterback here, I first looked at guys with prototypical size, as that would be important in running any under-center NFL style offense (I am sticking with this concept, as this is what we have all been told the team wants to run). Hoover, who obviously had the monster game against the Tar Heels, made too much sense at 6’2” and 200 lbs. Hoover finished seventh in the NCAA last season with 3,472 yards and has over 50 touchdowns the past two seasons as the Horned Frogs starter. He would be a great get for UNC and would immediately raise the floor of the offense.
Wildcard option: Jadyn Davis, Michigan
Everyone is going to want Hoover and if — for some reason — the coaching staff has other plans in mind, Davis makes for an interesting option. It would be a sort of homecoming for Davis (kind of like it was for Jarin Stevenson), who played high school ball in Charlotte but has not had the opportunities at Michigan. Davis was a highly rated recruit coming out of high school and would be a great replacement for the recently departed Bryce Baker.
Running Back
Home run pick: Hollywood Smothers, NC State
Do NC State players flip to North Carolina? I always feel like it’s the other way around, but this would be a great get for the Tar Heels. Not only would they add a very productive running back — he averaged 6.0 yards per attempt — but they would also hurt the Wolfpack while improving themselves. Let’s call that a win-win for the good guys.
Wildcard option: Evan Dickens, Liberty
Unfortunately, I keep seeing KC Concepcion in a Carolina blue uniform, only for him to end up at Texas A&M, and feel like Smothers will make a similar choice. So why not go for a guy who was more productive than Smothers this past season in Dickens, who finished 8th in the NCAA in rushing yards with 1,339 total and 5.8 per attempt. Dickens, who also scored 16 touchdowns for the Flames, also has some P4 experience after playing at Georgia Tech as a freshman.
Wide Receiver
Home run pick: Omarion Miller, Colorado
For the wide receiver position, I am looking for a receiver with decent size to replace the production lost with the graduation of Kobe Paysour. Miller is that guy. The junior transfer led the Buffaloes last season with 45 receptions for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. He probably picked Colorado for Deion, so why not pick UNC for Bill Belichick.
Wildcard option: Jackson Harris, Hawaii
A receiver from Hawaii may seem like an odd pick, but Harris would be a great addition to the team. In addition to having great size at 6’3” and 205 lbs, Harris had 49 receptions for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns, which was tied for 3rd in the NCAA. Harris was the go-to receiver for a solid Rainbow Warriors squad and would be a great complement to Jordan Shipp.
Tight End
Home run pick: Brody Foley, Tulsa
There are no obvious P4 guys readily available currently in the portal, but Foley would be a great pickup regardless. Foley led the Golden Hurricanes with 528 yards and 7 touchdowns. At 6’6” and 260 lbs, he also makes a huge end zone target for whoever the Tar Heels name as their starter at quarterback.
Wildcard option: Jayvontay Conner, ECU
Conner gets the wildcard nod here for being a good-sized player — 6’4” and 239 lbs — from an in-state school. Conner finished last season with 333 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Pirates second string tight end.
Offensive Line
Home run pick: Shaq McRoy, OT, Arkansas
There are two reasons why McRoy makes sense. One, he is huge at 6’8” and 344 lbs while playing on one of the top offensive lines in the country. Two, if Bobby Petrino is going to be the new OC at UNC, he is probably going to bring some players with him, and McRoy is probably the best currently in the portal.
Wildcard option: Tellek Lockette, IOL, Texas State
Since I went tackle for the homerun, lets go inside for the wildcard. Lockette is also a big guy who played for a Bobcats squad that finished seventh last season in total yards per game, including 11th in rushing. The big guard — 6’3” and 327 lbs — would help solidify the line, and given the overall needs, both players (if not more) would be great additions to the Tar Heels next season.
Edge Rusher
Home run pick: Adam Trick, Miami (OH)
Much like Melkart Abou-Jaoude was an under radar pick from Delaware who paid off big, so is Trick, who would be brought in to replace the sudden departure of Tyler Thompson (a guy the team should’ve been prioritizing to begin with). Trick led the Redhawks last season with 8.5 sacks and would be a great fill-in — and maybe even an upgrade — for Thompson.
Wildcard option: Lamont Lester Jr, Monmouth
Lester Jr could be one of those diamond-in-the-rough guys Bill Belichick prided himself on finding in the pros. At 6’2” and 230 lbs, Lester Jr is too small to play DE as he did at the FCS level, but would be a great edge option for the Tar Heels after posting nine sacks to lead Monmouth last season.
Linebacker
Home run option: Ray Coney, Tulsa
Coney becomes the second Golden Hurricane to make this list after finishing in the top ten in tackles last season. The 6’2”, 240 lb Coney, who also had two sacks last season, would be a great addition to a team that is losing its top two tacklers in Khmori House (to the portal) and Andrew Simpson (to graduation). As with the offensive line, the Tar Heels would be wise to add multiple guys here.
Wildcard option: Tavion Wallace, Arkansas
Wallace falls under the hopeful ‘coming with Petrino’ category, and fits in here more as a player with upside than production. As a freshman, Wallace had only two tackles, but he does come with decent size at 6’1” and 228 lbs while also being a top 200 recruit in 2024. The hope would be that Steve Belichick could open whatever Arkansas’s Travis Williams and Chris Wilson could not.
Cornerback
Home run option: AJ Harris, Penn St
Harris provides size — 6’1” and 193 lbs of it — for a team that will be looking for at least one corner after losing both starters to graduation this season. He finished the season with 33 tackles and a pass deflection for a Nittany Lions team that was top 25 against the pass.
Wildcard option: Keshawn Davilia, Arkansas
The third and final Razorback here. Much like Wallace, this is a pick based on potential, as Davilia finished with just two tackles and two passes defended for a very bad Razorbacks defense. However, also like Wallace, Davilia has decent size and was the top JUCO corner recruit last season.
Safety
Home run option: Jerome Carter III, ODU
Much like at corner, the Tar Heels are losing both starters. Carter III would be a great grab for North Carolina after finishing tied for second in the NCAA with six interceptions last season. He is also a good tackler, finishing tied for second with 76 tackles on a 10-win Monarchs team.
Wildcard option: Mister Clark, FIU
Clark is another good tackler, finishing fourth with 59 tackles for the Panthers. Clark also brings good ball defense skills, finishing tied for second in the NCAA with 13 pass deflections to go with three interceptions.
So what do you think? Is there someone else we should consider? Let us know in the comments below.
