2024 UNC FOOTBALL PREVIEW & PREDICTION

2024 UNC FOOTBALL PREVIEW

The College Football Now 2024 UNC football preview & prediction is brought to you by Scout Trout Elite & College Football Today RokFin.

TAR HEELS FOOTBALL PREVIEW

If you feel the need to write a Tar Heels football preview, you must mention the fact that both of the quarterbacks coached by Mack Brown have gone on to be drafted into the National Football League, with the latest being Patriots 1st round pick Drake Maye. The Carolina offense is coming off a season where they were nearly impossible to stop offensively (ranked 7th yards per game nationally) and were able to transition from Sam Howell to Drake Maye very quickly as production only was amplified. The backfield will be anchored once again by future NFL running back Omarion Hampton, who led the ACC with over 1,500 yards rushing last season and is capable of setting the tone week in & week out in the ground & pound game. The Carolina receiving core returns J.J Jones who led the team in receptions & receiving yards last season, as well as Gavin Blackwell, who saw action in eleven games last season while starting three and Kobe Paysour will return in the slot after suffering a season ending injury after starting the first five games of the season. Sophomore Chris Culliver will be looked upon to make splash plays offensively & in the kick return game as he was one of the best athletes we have evaluated on tape out of the great state of North Carolina during his high school playing days. The Tar Heels look very stout up front and were able to fill holes through the transfer portal with Georgia transfer OC Austin Blaske & North Texas transfer OT Howard Sampson, but the question still remains who will be named the Tar Heels starting quarterback?

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TAR HEELS STARTING QB 2024

The Tar Heels starting QB in 2024 has yet to be decided between incumbent Conner Harrell and transfers Max Johnson & Jacoby Criswell. Luckily, the Tar Heels offense is stocked with four quarterbacks who can get the job done at a high level when you add the likes of true freshman Dominic Mazzone to the mix and have three gunslingers with experience on the gridiron of College Football Now. Conner Harrell looks the part in the footage below and Max Johnson provides four years of experience against the top defensive units in the southeastern conference while at the helm of LSU & Texas A&M. The Tar Heels were also gifted the return of highly touted Dual-Threat QB Jacoby Criswell, who recently decided to return after limited playing time at Arkansas. 

UNC QUARTERBACK 2024

Whoever is the UNC quarterback for the 2024-2025 season will be in the prime position to put up epic numbers in the Tar Heels highly potent offensive attack and could possibly find themselves in contention for the Heisman Trophy. Obviously, after scouting Conner Harrell back during his epic rise in the recruiting world at Thompson, I am slightly partisan to the fact that I believe he possesses the potential to become an elite NFL quarterback. I also believe he is one of the best distributors of the pigskin nationally with his rapid quick release and excellent overall throwing mechanics. Will this be enough to overcome the experience brought to the table by Max Johnson & Jacoby Criswell? Heel Brothers appears to hit the nail on the head on both quarterbacks & has some interesting observations from Tar Heels spring ball that reflect both quarterbacks skill-sets. At the time of the video, Heel Brothers believed Max Johnson was the obvious starter at the time, but believe Harrell could swoop in and change that narrative to become the Heels starter come opening day. Either way, the Tar Heels have two quarterbacks who are eager to hurl the pigskin to the Heels upper echelon receiving core & ignite the running game through Omarion Hampton, Darwin Barlow and Caleb Hood. 

CONNER HARRELL

North Carolina QB & former top 2022 QB recruit Conner Harrell is used to overcoming adversity as he did not see varsity action until his junior season at Thompson HS in Alabama & was a late riser in the recruiting process. His epic junior season witnessed him climb the ranks in the world of CFB recruiting rapidly as offers came pouring in for what I believed was one of the most technically sound college ready quarterback nationally. 

Thompson High School's QB Conner Harrell has risen to become the top overall 2022 QB recruit in the world of College Football Today & has earned 31 D1-Offers since his initial entrance into the S.T.E.P ratings pipeline recruiting program on March 12th, 2020. Conner has narrowed his list down to his top ten school's, which are TCU, Vanderbilt, Arizona State, Duke, Northwestern, Louisiana-Lafeyette, Liberty, Nebraska, Indiana & West Virginia. Harrell's impeccable delivery and evasiveness in the pocket was compared to the Chicago Bears 1st RD NFL Draft pick Justin Fields by over a dozen executives across the National Football League. His verified 4.5,40 speed makes him a top tier dual-threat QB recruit, but much like the number one S.T.E.P rated QB in the 2021 NFL Draft, looks to get the football into his play-makers hands first, while delivering one of the most catch-able darts in the 2022 FB recruiting class.
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Top 2022 football recruit Dual-QB Conner Harrell has been awaiting his turn patiently at Thompson HS in Alabama, as he has a very advanced skill-set that will translate to an epic career in Alabama HS football. While having Taulia Tagovailoa at Thompson and Tua in the area, Harrell has persistently trained with the best in the game of American football to become an elite QB who can deliver darts extremely accurately downfield. More importantly, Conner carries a 4.26 GPA and will be one of the more highly touted 2022 QB recruits in the nation at College Football Today. Conner has excellent footwork in his drop and exhibits excellent body weight transition in his delivery, which is clearly visible in his film against Clay-Chalkville below. Check out new Top 2022 Dual-QB recruit Conner Harrell and read more below. 

Top dual QB recruits at College Football Today all have the ability to take off and gain valuable yardage when a play breaks down. Conner possesses 4.6 speed and is a very athletic quarterback who can make plays when needed with his legs. In my opinion, what is most impressive about Harrell is his ability to throw over the top of the defense with touch and his quick release. He proves to have an extremely strong arm at around :38 seconds into the footage above, as he unleashes the football on a rope down the sideline for a big gain. In the footage below, Harrell shows an innate ability to avoid pressure and work in a college style "RPO" style spread offense, as he eludes the defensive end and delivers a pin point accurate pass on the move. He shows the ability to throw his receiving target open to a spot on a perfectly thrown corner route under pressure and shows all of the traits of a big time 2022 QB recruit for years to come. 

The College Football Today NFL mock draft 2020 2.0 has Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa going number 5th overall to the Miami Dolphins and many experts also predict he could be picked 3rd overall by the Detroit Lions. After speaking with Miami Dolphins scout Lenny McGill at the 2020 NFL Reese's Senior Bowl, they honestly are praying Tua will be available at 5th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. He has already been fully cleared medically for his upcoming pro day and has many believing that he could turn any NFL franchise around within a few years.

UNC FOOTBALL 2024

The UNC football defense needs to step up in 2024 as they were ranked 75th in total defense at the conclusion of the 2023 season. Lord knows that the Tar Heels offense is going to put up a slew of points with the arsenal they have locked & loaded for this upcoming season, so any improvement in the defense will be welcomed and most likely give the Tar Heels more victories in 2024. New DC Geoff Collins will be heavily reliant on returning linebacker Power Echols who is coming off back to back seasons with over 100 tackles and should come off the board early in the 2025 NFL Draft. Dominant defensive end Kaimon Rucker surprised many by returning to the Tar Heels defensive front and is coming off a season where he was able to amass 61 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks. East Tennessee State transfer Alijah Huzzie will be called upon to lock down opponents top receivers as he put together a very solid season after adjusting from the FCS to FBS level and NC State transfer Jakeen Harris will be responsible over the top of the Tar Heels defensive secondary. Harris has competed in 45 collegiate games where he has amassed 167 tackles as well as 11 passes defended and 4 interceptions for his career. 

2024 TAR HEELS FOOTBALL PREDICTION

Check out the 2024 Tar Heels football prediction on College Football Today Rokfin by using the button below!

UNC FOOTBALL PREDICTION

2024 QB DJ MAZZONE

Scout Trout Elite & ESPN Plus top 2024 football recruit Dominic Mazzone was an extraordinary operator of the triple-option at Marist HS in Atlanta, Georgia during his Freshman campaign and proved to be one of the best at delivering accurate darts while on the run. His innate ability to quickly identify his proper keys in the read-option game were able to move the football efficiently throughout the duration of his young career and set up the play-action attack after sucking the defense up into the 8 man box. After pulling the football while running the veer & midline option game, Dominic is able to quickly burst up the field to gain valuable chunks of yardage and move the chains at will. This highly disciplined offensive approach has led to a 27 & 0 record for Marist’s JV & Varsity squads with Mazzone at the helm and after evaluating his progression as a passer, Dominic has perfected the art of squaring his body perfectly while on the run to unleash strikes down the field with outstanding overall velocity and precision. 

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TOP 2024 QB DJ MAZZONE SCOUTING NOTES

After the next College Football Today top 2024 QB recruits re-rank, I believe Mazzone will be shooting up the board and start to gain much deserved attention nationally in his CFB recruitment, as he is one of the most well-rounded and versatile 2024 dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation. Dominic has proven throughout the years to be able to orchestrate multiple college style offenses at a very high level and his work ethic off the field has begun to set him apart from many in his class, as he also is one of the highest academic performers in the talent rich State of Georgia. The fact that Dominic has maintained an unblemished record in one of the most talented football states in the nation is a true testament to his leadership skills, determination and resilience during the heat of battle. These characteristics are what any collegiate coach should truly value when searching for the attributes of a winning competitor to lead their team to victories, while doing so in a manner that reflects the core values of their college football program.

​ Dominic is light years ahead of schedule as far as the progress he has demonstrated over the past year and all of his hard work will inevitably lead to defenses across the world of college football today dreading having to attempt to defend such a highly gifted, as well as cerebral gunslinger. Mazzone’s advanced and intriguing skill-set is capable of moving the football effectively in the option game, while also possessing the abilities to torch the defensive secondary over the top in the triple-option play-action attack. In studying what it takes to become a highly successful modern day collegiate quarterback over the course of my career, I have found that quarterbacks who can beat you both with their legs and avoid pressure to create lapses in coverage have been the most successful year in and year out. Mazzone certainly has all of these athletic attributes that project extremely well to becoming one of the best dual-threat presences at the collegiate level, while also carrying himself in a way that reflects the courageousness and grit needed to win many more games throughout the rest of his illustrious HS football playing days. These attributes will translate mighty to a college style offense and bring the versatility needed to keep the defense off-balanced, while creating mismatches as well as gaping holes throughout the defensive secondary. 

After rigorously evaluating the star-studded list on the 2024 top QB recruit rankings, they all possess the talent to operate effectively in certain college style offensive systems, but very few have the capabilities to flourish in multiple offensive arsenals. Mazzone’s compact and quick release could potentially see him working more out of the spread at the collegiate level, as his innate ability to read the defensive front and quickly calculate the unbalances in the opposing team's defensive sets will be extremely valuable to any team in the world of College Football Now! Much like the Tom Brady’s & Peyton Manning’s of the world of football, Mazzone possesses the intangibles and cerebral function needed to properly identify the opposition's weakness and fully exploit it to take advantage whenever his team needs him to come through in clutch situations. From observing Dominic on tape, he also is able to stay cool, calm and collected through the course of a football contest, while also exuding the tenacity needed to drive the nail into the coffin of the opposition. There are not many quarterbacks who possess the instincts in the option game that will bleed out a defense over the duration of four quarters and/or beat you over the top with an impeccable over throwing motion, that delivers advantageous results for their team’s offense like new 2024 All-American QB recruit Dominic Mazzone.