UNC football adds a kickoff specialist who made a name for himself in the SEC

Former LSU kickoff specialist Aeron Burrell commits to play next season in Chapel Hill.
LSU v South Carolina
LSU v South Carolina | Isaiah Vazquez/GettyImages

On Saturday, January 10th, the UNC football program announced that they signed former LSU transfer kicker Aeron Burrell.

Burrell played two seasons at LSU before transferring. Burrell stands at six-foot-two and weighs 190 pounds. He has two years of eligibility remaining to work with, as he provides Bill Belichick and the UNC football program with a special-teams weapon with elite kickoff ability.

Burrell consistently generated a high touchback rate (ranking No. 3 in the nation and leading the SEC), which helps flip field position and strengthen UNC's special teams unit. In 2024, he kicked off 74 times and recorded an 89.19% touchback rate, and followed it up by having 45 of his 66 kickoffs land in the end zone for a touchback in 2025.

The Louisiana native brings a powerful leg and a proven track record of booming kickoffs, filling a key special teams role, and giving UNC an advantage in the field-position battle. It's even possible that he may compete for some opportunities as a place kicker at some point during his time at North Carolina.

More information on the Transfer Portal:

The Transfer Portal window is open from January 2nd through January 16th. Unlike recent seasons, this will be the only window. There will not be a second window in the spring.

Transfer Portal Tracker

Click here to keep up with all the latest news and updates on North Carolina's transfer portal additions and subtractions.

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