Jahvaree Ritzie has declared to enter the 2025 NFL Draft following his four years in Chapel Hill. The defensive lineman will not play in the UNC football program's bowl game.
Thank you God. 🦁💕✝️ pic.twitter.com/vxDXpXUllE
— Jahvaree “J5” Ritzie (@jahvaree) December 14, 2024
In light of Mack Brown's final season, Ritzie expressed his gratitude to the former 73-year-old head coach in his message.
"I also want to express my deep gratitude to my family and friends, whose support has pushed me to achieve more than I ever thought possible, especially to my brothers and family who have passed. I'm fighting for y'all every day. A special thank you to Coach Brown and all my coaches, who've helped me get to this point and allowed me the privilege of playing for this incredible university. Thank you, Tar Heel Nation, for your unwavering support."
In Ritzie's final season, he finished with 40 total tackles, 20 solo tackles, 20 assists and 6.5 sacks.
Oh yeah, and one "thick six," as ACC Network liked to call it — the Kernersville, North Carolina native intercepted the ball and ran it back for a touchdown against Virginia away from home on Saturday, October 26.
Ritzie's interception was a part of UNC's beat down on the Cavaliers, which ended in a score of 41-14.
Opening night against the Minnessota Gophers saw arguably Ritzie's best performance as he broke into the backfield three different times for a sack. In addition, he collected six TOTs and five SOLOs.
It's unknown when Ritzie will be drafted, but whoever takes him should be pleased — he's an effective DL and can thrive at the next level.
Out of high school, Ritzie was listed as a four-star in the Class of 2021, per 247Sports. He was No. 71 nationally, No. 11 at his position and No. 4 in the state of North Carolina.
Now, his dreams of becoming a professional football player are a step closer to reality.