Keeping It Heel
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Top UNC Football players for 2017: No. 19 Stanton Truitt

By Brandon Griffin

Oct 22, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver Stanton Truitt (10) dives for a touchdown in front of Arkansas Razorbacks defensive backs Santos Ramirez (9) and DJ Dean (2) during the first quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver Stanton Truitt (10) dives for a touchdown in front of Arkansas Razorbacks defensive backs Santos Ramirez (9) and DJ Dean (2) during the first quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports /
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Keeping It Heel continues its countdown of the top 25 players on the North Carolina Tar Heels roster with player No. 19

#25 Noah Ruggles | #24 Tomon Fox | #23 Jordan Cunningham | #22 Tyler Powell 

#21 Brandon Fritts | #20 Jonah Melton

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.

Sure, the NFL draft was just this past weekend but if you are like me that just got you wanting more football.

And what better way than getting a sneak peek at the future of the Tar Heels.

So let’s get started with player No. 19, a graduate transfer who will be needed right away on offense.

Position: Running Back, Wide Receiver

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

High School: Monroe Area

Last Season: Truitt served as a dual threat for the Auburn Tigers last season. He rushed the ball 31 times for 187 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for another 100 yards and an additional score.

His best performance came in a 56-3 win over Arkansas where he carried the ball eight times for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught one pass for 45 yards and another score.

This was the first time in Truitt’s career he had over 100 all-purpose yards.

Truitt graduated early from Auburn and with his one remaining year of eligibility, he decided to leave the Tigers and come play for the Tar Heels.

Why he might move up this list: After the draft, the Tar Heels are pretty thin at the running back position. Both Elijah Hood and TJ Logan are playing for other teams now. The two accounted for 80 percent of the team’s total rushing offense last season.

Also unlike other backs, Truitt fits the dual threat receiving back out of the backfield that Logan filled last season.

This gives Truitt an advantage that the other backs may not have.

Truitt also had his first kick return of his career last season. Again with Logan gone, there is an opening there as well.

Why he might move down this list: The biggest negative to Truitt is that nearly half his offense all came in that one game against Arkansas.

Is he a breakout player or a one-time wonder?

He scored three times in that game. In every other game he has played in, he scored zero times. Again a fluke or a sign of potential?

Additionally, the fact that the Tar Heels are undecided and inexperienced at quarterback does not help Truitt’s case. The coaching staff may stick with a rotation of bigger backs that help UNC move the chains and limit the quarterback’s chances of mistakes.

Prediction: Truitt is the experienced back in an inexperienced but deep running back rotation group. He provides the Tar Heels with leadership and also a receiving threat out of the backfield.

Next: Top 10 UNC QB's of all-time

Truitt finishes the season with 90 carries for 450 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He also has 10 receptions for 60 yards and another score.

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