Keeping It Heel
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UNC Football: 5 players who (probably) won’t be back in 2024

By Nick Delahanty

Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Cedric Gray (33) leads his linebacker squad before a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Cedric Gray (33) leads his linebacker squad before a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here are five current UNC football players who will probably end up leaving Chapel Hill after the 2023 season comes to an end.

As we approach the end of the 2023 college football season, programs across the country will have to deal with players leaving, whether it’s due to having no eligibility remaining or via the crazy world of the transfer portal.

The UNC football program is no different, as there should be plenty of roster changes heading into next season. North Carolina is already set to lose a handful of graduate players as well as some seniors but could (possibly) lose some players who have eligibility remaining as well.

Of course, let’s make this easy and start with the obvious…

UNC Football
Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) walks to an interview after the game at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1: Drake Maye, redshirt sophomore

There’s not a single UNC football fan who is pushing Drake Maye out the door, but the opportunity to be a top-5 pick in the NFL Draft doesn’t come around too often.

Maye loves the University of North Carolina, and it will probably be a very tough decision for him to make, but there’s no doubt that it’s time for Maye to take the leap to the professional level to begin his NFL career.

Yes, the NIL world allows student-athletes the opportunity to profit off their name, image, and likeness, but there’s always a risk of turning down a big payday from the professional ranks.

Simply put: one injury could significantly impact your playing career.

You also have to worry about a player’s stock dropping over time. Once it hits a peak level (where Maye seems to be right now), the only place you can go is down (look at Sam Howell, who was projected as a first-round pick before his final season as a Tar Heel).

As much as we’d all love to see what Maye could do in a third season as the Tar Heels quarterback, the chances of that are very unlikely. Expect to see him playing on Sundays next fall.

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