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Writer's pictureAnthony Pagnotta

Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heel DT Opts Out of Bowl Game

Grant Halverson- Getty Images

With the Fenway Bowl just two weeks away, it’s time for the Tar Heel players who have draft decisions to make to start declaring for the draft and letting the interim staff know whether or not they will play in the bowl game. On Saturday, the team found out they will be without one of their starting defensive linemen against Connecticut.


Senior defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie announced via social media on Saturday evening that he will be sitting out the Fenway Bowl and officially enter his name into the 2025 NFL Draft.


Ritzie spent each of the last four years in Chapel Hill where he played in 52 games, starting 19 of them. In his four seasons, he tallied 138 total tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, 61 total pressures, one forced fumble and an interception return for a touchdown. In 2022, Ritzie had a breakout season, finishing with 48 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and 28 total pressures. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to build on it, seeing his snaps cut from 644 to 389 because of the struggles that he was having. Ritzie responded this year, though, putting together the most productive season of his career. In twelve games, he racked up 40 total tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 14 total pressures in 504 snaps.


When it comes to him making it to the NFL, Ritzie has work to do. As of right now he does not appear on a single draft big board, meaning that the pre-draft process will be important for him.


With Ritzie sitting out this game and Travis Shaw still in the transfer portal, Kevin Hester Jr. and Joshua Harris will be expected to play significant snaps and guys like Joel Starlings and Rodney Lora could be in line for some important snaps in a couple of weeks.

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