UNC Football: Nate McCollum named ACC Wide Receiver of the Week

The UNC football standout put together a very strong performance in his first full game wearing a North Carolina uniform.

As part of the weekly ACC honors, UNC football standout Nate McCollum has been named the conference’s wide receiver of the week.

In what serves as his first real action as a Tar Heel, McCollum put together a career day that has North Carolina football fans excited for what’s to come. The Georgia Tech transfer recorded new career-highs in receptions (15) and receiving yards (165) in his first game in front of the home crowd in Chapel Hill.

"RECEIVER – Nate McCollum, North Carolina, WR, Atlanta, Ga.McCollum led the Tar Heels offense with 15 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown in UNC’s 31-13 win over Minnesota. In his Tar Heel debut, McCollum piled up over 100 receiving yards and a 46-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter alone. His 15 catches were one away from the Tar Heel single-game record."

With Tez Walker ruled ineligible for the 2023 season, the UNC football program has been looking for one of its receivers to step up as Drake Maye’s top target. Now that McCollum is healthy, it appears that he is going to be that guy, as Maye wasn’t afraid to throw him the ball early and often against a very good Minnesota defense.

Mack Brown compared McCollum to Josh Downs, which is very big praise considering what Downs was able to accomplish as a Tar Heel. The hope is that he can continue to be a lethal weapon that can give opposing defenses matchup nightmares for weeks to come.

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