If there was ever a year for the North Carolina Tar Heels to become the premier team of the ACC Coastal division, it is this year. They have an experienced coach, plenty of upperclassmen, the talent, and in some ways more importantly than all the rest the push of the media. The question now becomes who will step up and grab the reins of this team and be star this fall. Here is a look at the North Carolina Tar Heels 2021 preseason football awards.
Freshman to Watch – DL Keeshawn Silver
Coming out of high school, Silver could have picked to play college football just about anywhere he wanted. In the end, he opted to stay local and wear the Carolina blue this fall. Silver is a large and freakishly athletic defensive lineman. He can be put into varying roles and schemes and still flourish. Silver disrupts plays in the backfield and with his 7 ft. wingspan, if not longer, is a pass deflector. Expect Silver to be sprinkled into the defensive line rotation this fall for the Tar Heels and to make the most of those opportunities.
Freshman POY – LB Raneiria Dillworth
Raneiria Dillworth has the tools to be a great college football player in Chapel Hill. He will need to bulk up some for the college stage, but his skillset is hard to beat. For instance, he can cover receivers, wreak havoc in the backfield, track down opponents with his speed, and can use his football IQ to recognize plays. That is all good and well to say, but his high school stats back all of that up.. In other words, Dillworth is beyond talented, but will have to prove it at this new level of competition. For the record, he will do just that and is the star of this Tar Heel freshman class.
Breakout POY – S Ja’Qurious Conely
As a freshman Conley appeared in 10 games for the Tar Heels, including the Orange Bowl, and gained a ton of on-field experience in 2020. As a result of spring camp this year, Conley will be moving over to the safety position this fall to help keep opposing receivers in check. To only be a sophomore and for the coaching staff to have enough confidence in Conley to change his position means they see something special in him. Expect Conley to be a defensive starter in 2021 and to be one of the defensive players that the team turns to when a key stop is needed.
Most Underrated – WR Josh Downs
Downs played a lot last season for UNC, but was not the go-to guy. However, three of his seven receptions were for touchdowns. He doesn’t get all of the looks from QB Sam Howell, but when the ball does come his way he knows how to find the end zone. Playing as the slot receiver, look for Howell to get the ball to Downs more the season, certainly more than seven times, and let Downs use his feet to work his magic. Downs won’t have gaudy receiving numbers, but will still be an integral part of the passing game for the Heels.
Defensive POY – LB Tomon Fox
Tomon Fox comes into his final season as a Tar Heel as a leader of the defense. He has 21 career sacks and will certainly add to that this year, potentially getting to 30. Fox knows how to break through the O-line to stuff the run game or disrupt a passing QB. His presence on the field can cause opposing offensives to change their game plan or play away from. You can bank on Fox’s name being called a lot in 202,1 especially on tackles in the backfield.
Offensive POY – QB Sam Howell
Who else did you think I was going to pick for this award? It has to be Sam Howell. There is no question about it. Howell is by far the most important offensive player for UNC. He can throw the deep ball, drop the ball into a receivers bread basket, move around in the pocket, and use his feet to scramble for yardage when needed. The senior QB has the talent and mindset take this team to an ACC title and dare I say the CFP playoff. There is a ton of hype swirling around Howell this season. Heck, he is even on some Heisman watch lists. It will be fun to see if Howell can live up the hype and challenges laid before him. In the end, how Howell goes is how the Tar Heels season goes.
Check out the ACC Preseason Awards for other ACC teams below and stay tuned for more teams coming out soon!
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