The Tar Heels welcomed their newest members to the roster on Wednesday when 21 offseason additions officially joined the team. Here’s a look at the group of newcomers that are part of the overhaul of this Tar Heel roster.
Transfers
Melkart Abou-Jaoude EDGE/Delaware
Abou-Jaoude entered the portal following the most productive season of his career thus far. He started and played in all eleven of the team’s games, tallying 24 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits. He was named an All-CAA honorable mention for the production that he had this season.
William Boone OT/Prairie View A&M
Boone, who measures at 6’7, 340 lbs., spent this season with the Panthers and had an outstanding year across the board. He played 782 snaps while starting all 12 games for the team, receiving a 62.3 run block grade, a 78.0 pass block grade and a 69.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. In 425 pass protection reps, he didn’t allow a single sack and gave up only 11 total pressures. Prior to Prairie View A&M, Boone spent time at Kilgore College and New Mexico Military Institute.
Ryan Browne QB/Purdue
Browne, who will have three years of eligibility remaining, played in nine games in his two seasons in West Lafayette, including his two career starts which came this year against Illinois and Oregon. Last year, in the lone game that he played for the team, he threw for just 104 yards and two interceptions against Northwestern while filling in for the injured Hudson Card. This year, Browne played in eight games and finished the regular season with 532 yards passing and a 4-2 touchdown-interception ratio while completing 56.6% of his passes and 155 yards on 50 carries. In his first career start against Illinois, he threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 118 yards on 17 carries. His second start against Oregon didn’t go nearly as well, but the Ducks are the best team in the country this season.
Coleman Bryson S/Minnesota
Bryson spent the first three years of his career in Minneapolis, playing in 31 games, including every game of the last two seasons. Bryson played in five games as a true freshman in 2022 and was able to receive a redshirt after his fifth game came in the Pinstripe Bowl against Iowa where he racked up seven total tackles and pulled down the lone interception of his career. The following season in 2023, he played 467 snaps between defense and special teams, tallying 25 total tackles and allowing seven of his 12 targets to be caught for 96 yards and a touchdown. He closed out his time with the Golden Gophers this season by playing a career-high 264 snaps across thirteen games, collecting 20 total tackles and allowing five of his 10 targets to be caught for 57 yards. He also played 164 snaps on special teams for the Gophers this season.
Connor Cox TE/South Carolina
Cox, who was a 3✮ recruit in the 2023 class, was sparingly used in the Gamecocks offense in his two seasons with the team. He played in just nine games with the team, catching one pass for nine yards and a touchdown in 40 snaps.
Thaddeus Dixon CB/Washington
Dixon, the No. 111 overall prospect and No. 13 corner in the portal according to 247Sports, spent the last two seasons in Seattle with the Huskies after transferring in from Long Beach Community College where he played the first two years of his career. In 2023, he finished the season with 26 total tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, one interception and five pass breakups while allowing 25 of his 40 receptions to be caught for 315 yards and four touchdowns in 361 snaps. This season, Dixon earned All-Big 12 honorable mention after an outstanding season where he finished with 43 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, one interception and ten pass breakups while allowing just 23 of his 51 targets to be caught for 237 yards and two touchdowns in 751 snaps.
Gavin Gibson CB/East Carolina
In Gibson’s lone season at East Carolina, he played in all thirteen games, starting ten of them at that nickel corner spot. In the 630 snaps he played, he finished with 52 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, six quarterback pressures, three interceptions and three pass breakups. Gibson was thrown at 53 times this season and while 36 of those were caught, he allowed 322 yards and two touchdowns and a 73.0 QB rating. Prior to that, Gibson spent the first two seasons of his college career at Maryland where he played 315 snaps in 20 games.
Khmori House LB/Washington
House, who is ranked as the No. 2 linebacker in the portal according to 247Sports Transfer Portal Player Rankings, played in all 12 games of his true freshman season with the Huskies, which included five starts. He finished the regular season with 35 total tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, 0.0 sacks, eight total quarterback pressures, an interception and four passes defensed in 317 snaps.
Aziah Johnson WR/Michigan State
In his two seasons with the Spartans, Johnson played in 16 games, including all twelve this season. After not registering a single target last year, he caught 16 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns and dropped just one pass on 25 targets this season.
Christo Kelly IOL/Holy Cross
Kelly played in 36 games over the course of those five years, including 23 starts at center. He started every game that he played in over the last two years on an offensive line that was regarded as one of the best units in the FCS. Last year, as a junior, Kelly played 526 snaps over the course of ten games, earning third-team All-Patriot League honors while earning a 66.8 run block grade, a 63.0 pass block grade and a 67.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. This season, he played a career-high 778 snaps and was named a first-team All-Patriot League member while posting a 59.4 run block grade, a 65.4 pass block grade and a 61.5 overall grade. In his two seasons as a starter, he has yet to allow a sack and has allowed just 12 total quarterback pressures.
Chad Lindberg OT/Rice
This season at Rice, Lindberg played and started in eleven games for the Owls across three different positions. He played 642 snaps this season, 377 of which came at left guard, 245 at left tackle, 17 at right guard and two at right tackle, showing just how versatile he is. He graded out incredibly well in pass protection with a 77.8 from Pro Football after allowing just one sack and 11 total pressures so far this season. He will have to improve in run-blocking scenarios after finishing the season with a 50.9 grade, something that was an issue for him in the limited snaps that he saw in 2023 at Georgia.
Miles McVay OT/Alabama
McVay, who has three years of eligibility remaining, entered the transfer portal last Saturday after spending this season as the backup to both offensive tackle spots. After playing just 28 snaps as a true freshman in 2023, McVay was on the field for 94 snaps, including 66 at left tackle, the spot that Howard Sampson left open when he entered the transfer portal. The concern with McVay is how poorly he graded out in the snaps that he played this season. He received a 45.9 run block grade, a 44.7 pass block grade and a 45.3 overall grade from PFF this season, numbers that will need to improve if he is going to be a starter.
CJ Mims DL/East Carolina
Mims played in all 12 of the team’s games this season as a rotational piece on the defensive line for the Pirates. In 339 snaps, he finished with 23 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, eight total quarterback pressures and a forced fumble. He played in 12 games in 2023 in the same role, tallying 14 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss, 0.5 sacks, 2 total quarterback pressures and a forced fumble.
Jason Robinson Jr. WR/Washington
Robinson did not play a single snap this past season for the Huskies, but was named Scout Team MVP at the team’s award banquet earlier this month. The former Composite 3✮ was ranked inside of the top 500 recruits last season after a productive high school career at San Juan Hills High School in San Juan Capistrano, CA. In his three seasons at the varsity level, Robinson caught 177 passes for 2,578 yards and 26 touchdowns over the course of 35 games. In his senior season, he caught 68 passes for 900 yards and nine touchdowns in twelve games.
Adam Samaha K/Michigan
In his two seasons in Ann Arbor, Samaha has only kicked one time, nailing an extra point in the team’s 2023 blowout victory against Indiana. This season he did not see any action, leading to his decision to transfer. Samaha was the No. 7 kicker in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports’ Composite Player Rankings.
Peyton Waters S/Washington
In his lone season in Seattle, Waters played in all thirteen of the team’s games between defense and special teams. He played just ten snaps on defense between the Northwestern, Penn State and Oregon games, but he was a key part of the team’s special teams unit where he played 126 snaps. He finished the season with five total tackles, all but one of which came on special teams. Coming out of high school last year, Waters was the No. 231 overall prospect and No. 20 safety according to 247Sports Composite Player Rankings following an extremely successful high school career at Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, CA.
Pryce Yates EDGE/Connecticut
Yates, the No. 221 overall player and No. 28 edge rusher in the portal, spent the first three years of his career with the Huskies and was a major contributor in all three. As a redshirt freshman in 2022 starting at defensive tackle, he finished with 45 total tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 27 total quarterback pressures and one forced fumble in 528 snaps across thirteen games. In 2023, he moved out to the strongside defensive end spot and racked up 42 total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 30 total quarterback pressures in 559 snaps across twelve games. This season, he saw limited action because of an offseason injury, but he still tallied 21 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 14 total quarterback pressures in 340 snaps across seven games. Yates closed his time with the Huskies by being named defensive MVP of the Fenway Bowl after collecting six total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack.
2025 Recruits
4✮ QB Bryce Baker- East Forsyth (Kernersville, NC)
This season, as a senior at in-state East Forsyth High School, Baker threw for 3,523 yards and posted a 40-5 touchdown-interception ratio while completing 74.8% of his passes. He also ran for 303 yards and six touchdowns on 60 rush attempts. The prior year as a junior, he was named an all-conference player and all-state honorable mention this past year after throwing for 3,082 yards, 39 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also carried the ball 36 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns for an East Forsyth team that would go 10-2 and fall in the second round to eventual state semifinalist Independence. The year prior, at Walkertown High School, he threw for 1,823 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions and ran the ball 70 times for 139 yards and one rushing touchdown. Walkertown, won seven more games than they did the year before going 8-3, but bowing out in the first round of the 2A state playoffs.
There was so much to like about what we saw Baker on tape. At 6’2.5, 195 lbs., Baker has a good frame and his delivery is compact, allowing him to release the ball quickly. The arm strength is there and the accuracy is tremendous, especially on the throws to the sideline on deep passes. He does a good job of processing things, getting through his reads efficiently and effectively, allowing him to complete all but one of his passes. He moves extremely well in and out of the pocket and looked good throwing on the move and when off-platform. When he does take off and run he’s effective, showing good speed and vision that allows him to pick up significant yards when needed. He lives up to his top 100 ranking and he looks like he has the making of the next great quarterback in Chapel Hill.
4✮ EDGE Austin Alexander- Cooper (Cooper, KY)
This season at Cooper High School in Union, KY, Alexander tallied 54 total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in thirteen games. That followed a tremendous junior season where he finished with 81 total tackles, 19.0 sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries on the defensive side of the ball while also playing a huge role for his team offensively. He caught 67 receptions for 1,138 yards and 19 touchdowns, all numbers that led the team and helped him earn first team all-tri state and all-state honors. The year prior, he also played a big role on both sides of the ball as a sophomore. He racked up 85 total tackles, 11.0 sacks and an interception and caught 34 passes for 522 yards and six touchdowns.
Alexander, the No. 42 edge rusher and No. 3 player in Kentucky in the class according to 247Sports Composite player rankings, gives the Tar Heels a guy in this class that can simply get after the quarterback. He has a very solid release off the line of scrimmage and does an outstanding job of shedding blocks to make plays in the backfield. His use of technical pass rush moves is the big reason why he’s able to live in the backfield and his athleticism goes a long way towards him being able to chase down quarterbacks and running backs to create negative plays. He has very solid size already at 6’3, 243 lbs., but he will have to add more physicality to his game if he wants to make a significant impact in his first season, but with his ability to shed blockers, he should get a chance to b
3✮ RB Jariel Cobb- Reidsville (Reidsville, NC)
Cobb just concluded his senior season at Reidsville High School in Reidsville, NC where he put together a career year. In just 10 games, he ran for a career-high 1,533 yards and 23 touchdowns on just 142 carries and caught 23 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns on his way to first team all-conference honors. This followed a breakout junior season in which he ran for 1,213 yards and 17 touchdowns on 154 carries, helping Reidsville win the 2A state title, the 23rd in program history.
Cobb’s film shows a running back with good instincts that has some upside but a lot of questions as well. The thing that you have to like the most is just how decisive of a runner he is. He has strong ball carrier vision and it doesn’t take him long to find the hole that he wants to hit and hit it. He has solid speed in the open field that allows him to pull away from defenders at his level of high school football but may prevent him from being able to hit a lot of home run plays at the college level. While he doesn’t need to run with physicality often because of the running lanes that his offensive line provides, he utilizes it when needed and it translates for him when he has to pass protect. The ability to catch the ball out of the backfield is there, but it’s probably not something that dominates his game at the college level. There is a bit of a stiffness to his running style and while his cuts are effective now, they will have to be more precise and sudden to work in college. The biggest concern across the board is the learning curve that he will have coming from the 2A level of high school football in the state of North Carolina. There is potential here, though, and the Tar Heel program has had a knack for finding hidden gems like this at the running back spot.
3✮ DL Terry Nwabuisi-Ezeala- Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Rabun Gap, GA)
Nwabuisi-Ezeala, the No. 1507 overall prospect and No. 166 defensive line according to 247Sports Composite Player Rankings, recently concluded his senior season at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High School in Rabun Gap, GA after five seasons with the team. He first saw action with the team back in the spring of 2021 as an 8th grader, playing in two games and tallying three total tackles. His role expanded every year since, with him becoming a major contributor as a sophomore where he finished with 31 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and seven quarterback hurries in nine games. In 2023, as a junior, he had 32 total tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 0.0 sacks and four quarterback hurries in eleven games. He finished his career with the most productive season of his career, racking up 41 total tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and seven quarterback hurries.
Nwabuisi-Ezeala is someone that the Tar Heels are hoping can be that big gap filler in the middle of their defense. At 6’2, 320 lbs., he certainly has the size to fill that role and his ability to shed blocks should allow him to make plays in the backfield. He does show his physicality at times, but he will have to utilize it more in college if he wants to consistently win. He is very limited as a pass rusher, especially for someone who moves well for his size, meaning that his role could be limited throughout his time in college. This is a guy that is a low risk, high reward addition that you’re hoping develops under Belichick’s staff, but it will probably take some time.
Comments