Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Football duo tabbed as 2023 AP Preseason All-Americans

By Sean Ebersbach

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 24: Cedric Gray #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels tackles Michael Mayer #87 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 24: Cedric Gray #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels tackles Michael Mayer #87 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Associated Press has revealed their Preseason All-Americans with a pair of UNC Football players featured on the second team.

A pair of UNC football standouts, Drake Maye and Cedric Gray, have added to their preseason accolades and watch lists as they were announced as AP Preseason All-American second-team selections ahead of the 2023 football season.

Drake Maye has already been named the Preseason ACC Player of the Year and to the Preseason All-ACC team for this upcoming season. Maye has also been placed on many watchlists including for the Manning Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, and Davey O’Brien Award, among many more prestigious lists.

Cedric Gray was also named to the Preseason All-ACC team at linebacker with 109 total votes. Gray has received praise this preseason too as he has been named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watchlist and the Butkus Award watchlist.

Maye finished last season fourth in passing yards (4,321), fifth in passing touchdowns (38), second in total offense per game (358.5), and tenth in QBR (82.4). Considering last season was his redshirt freshman year and his first time starting a game in college came week one against Florida A&M, Maye deserves all the praise that has been given to him thus far.

Linebacker Cedric Gray also had an outstanding season last year as the defensive captain. Gray had an impressive stat line where he tallied 186 total tackles (3rd in the NCAA), 82 solo tackles (2nd in the NCAA), three forced fumbles, two interceptions, and one sack. He set a career-high tackles in a single game last season against Virginia (16) and solo tackles in a single game against Georgia State (11).

The UNC Football program will rely on Gray and Maye’s leadership this season to help anchor the offense and defense to help them fight for an ACC Championship spot in a new revamped format where the two teams with the best record will face off in Charlotte for the title.

Next. UNC Football Defensive Players destined to breakout. dark

Follow us @KeepingItHeel on X (formerly Twitter) and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC football news, updates, and recruiting.

Home/UNC Football