Keeping It Heel
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Top UNC Football players for 2017: No. 24 Tomon Fox

By Brandon Griffin

Sep 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Nick Chubb (27) runs the ball against North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Andre Smith (10) and defensive end Tomon Fox (12) during the first quarter of the 2016 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Nick Chubb (27) runs the ball against North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Andre Smith (10) and defensive end Tomon Fox (12) during the first quarter of the 2016 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Keeping It Heel continues it’s countdown of the top 25 players on the North Carolina Tar Heels roster with player 24.

#25 Noah Ruggles | 

Are you ready for some football?

College football that is. Sure, the spring game was just this weekend, but the real season can’t get here any quicker.

Keeping It Heel is going to continue to help you countdown the weeks until college football season by revealing our list of the top 25 UNC players for the upcoming season.

So let’s get started with player 24, a defensive end with a lot to prove.

Position: Defensive End

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

High School: Collins Hill

Last Season: Tomon Fox started last season off strong. He had four tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble in just his second game as a Tar Heel in a win against Illinois.

Unfortunately for Fox that was the highlight of his season.

Fox was injured in practice just five days later. The knee injury ended up being a season-ending one. Luckily due to a lack of playing time he was able to get a medical redshirt and preserve an extra year of eligibility.

Why he might move up this list: If one was to take Fox’s stats over the first two weeks and spread it out over a 12 game schedule, Fox would’ve finished with 24 tackles and six sacks. Those six sacks would’ve led the team.

Also, that is not taking into consideration that he did all that against Illinois. If one was to take the Georgia game as a learning curve, then Fox could’ve easily had double digit sacks for the Tar Heels.

The last guy to do that was Quinton Couples back in 2010.

Fox is fast off the edge which is helpful in getting around tackles to get to the quarterback. Look at Fox here during summer drills last off season:

If Fox has not lost that first step he could be in for a big season with North Carolina.

Why he might move down this list: Like other players on this list, Fox will have to compete for his starting spot. In the spring game it was senior Dajaun Drennon who stepped up big with three sacks.

Drennon had 15 tackles over his last three games and could take the starting job from Fox. It is also not known how far along Fox is in his recovery, which could also hinder his playing time this season.

Prediction: Fox is healthy entering the season opener against Cal. The Freshman beat out two juniors last season in Drennon and Tyler Powell and the same should happen this year as well.

Fox plays in a rotation with Drennon and freshman Jake Lawler. Fox takes the majority of snaps and finishes the season with 35 tackles, 14 for loss, 10 sacks, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovered.

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