Last week, the Tar Heels brought in the remainder of their 2024 recruiting and transfer classes as the summer enrollees joined the fray. This means that all 27 of their signees from this past cycle’s massive class are now with the team and looking to establish a role with the team. Here are the five guys from this year’s class that we think have the best chance to make an impact this year.
5. DB Tyshun White
White made a nice impression on the staff in the spring out of the nickel and could be a factor for the team at the spot this year. Building on what he did in the spring will be important, but the opportunity is there for reps even if it is behind the returning DeAndre Boykins. His biggest competition, Kaleb Cost, is splitting his time between football and baseball and was dealing with a stress reaction in his foot that forced him into a walking boot. There is other competition here, but White has the talent to at least be a rotational option immediately for this team this season.
4. LB Ashton Woods
The Tar Heels are in search of a rotational piece at linebacker behind starter Power Echols and Amare Campbell and Woods is the freshman that has the best to fill that role. Brown and the staff were very complimentary of him in the spring and while he missed the spring game, it may have helped his chances because no one was really able to step up. If he can build off of what he did when fall camp starts, he’ll have a legitimate shot at being the team’s top rotational linebacker.
3. RB Davion Gause
Gause was tasked with a bigger role than once thought in the spring with Caleb Hood out and he thrived. Mack Brown was very complimentary of what he saw from his freshman running back and said his strong spring was one of the main reasons that the team didn’t add another running back in the portal. With Hood’s injury history and a strong fall camp, it wouldn’t be surprising if Gause is able to establish himself as RB3 and receive some rotational reps.
2. WR Jordan Shipp
Many are probably wondering why Shipp isn’t first on this list after the spring that he had, but there is a lot to navigate in that receiver room. He more than looked the part back in April, but he has a talented group that he will be battling for rotational reps in the fall. With his talent, though, it will be hard to keep him off the field, especially if whoever the starting quarterback is develops a strong connection with him.
1.CB Tyrane Stewart
Speaking of guys that really impressed the staff in the spring, Stewart is the guy in the best position to make a significant impact this year. While the JUCO transfer may not be as young as the other guys in this class, he still had a lot on his plate stepping up to the FBS level and he looked the part almost from the word go back in April. He might not start like he did in the spring game because of the return of Marcus Allen from injury, but he is in good shape to be the team's top rotational corner on the outside and should receive some significant reps.