UNC Football: Cedric Gray Among Top LBs in 2024 NFL Draft

Sep 24, 2022; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Cedric Gray (33) reacts in the first half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2022; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Cedric Gray (33) reacts in the first half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UNC Football program has a key defensive player ranked in the top five of draft-eligible linebackers for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Mack Brown and the UNC Football program want to take a much-needed step and improve upon last year’s defensive efforts. An important piece to that puzzle and making that step is in the middle of the defense at linebacker and wears No. 33 for the Tar Heels… Cedric Gray.

Gray was identified back in June as one of the top ten defensive eligible players for the 2024 NFL Draft by Pro Football Focus. Now, Pro Football Focus has released their top five linebackers eligible for the draft, and Gray has again found himself on a notable list.

Ranking No. 5 on this list, Gray is joined by well known and talented company, with two linebackers from ACC foe Clemson making the list, Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr, Jamon Dumas-Johnson from Georgia, and Junior Colson from Michigan.

If the Tar Heel defense is going to take that step toward becoming an improved unit, it isn’t any secret that Gray is going to be a huge part of that.

All UNC football fans feel confident with Drake Maye at the helm on the offensive side of the ball, it’s the worry of needing to score an astronomical amount of points each game to win.

If the defense is able to step up and force stops, then the 2023 Tar Heels might just have something cooking for a successful season in Chapel Hill, and Gray may very well find himself climbing draft boards throughout the fall.

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