Melkart Abou-Jaoude Making Early Contributions For UNC's Defensive Line

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The soft-spoken Melkart Abou-Jaoude quickly secured the respect of his North Carolina teammates, leading by example with the way he goes to work.

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Abou-Jaoude came to UNC as a transfer from Delaware in December. In that time, he’s worked his way into the starting rotation on the defensive line and has become one of its most productive players in the early season. 

“Melkart is a little bit of a quieter guy, but very well respected because of his work ethic, his toughness and his consistency,” Bill Belichick said on Tuesday. “He just shows up every day, gives you his best. You know you can count on him. His teammates have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and he’s had great production. So his leadership really comes from his day in and day out performance and toughness and reliability.”

Abou-Jaoude remembers having a conversation with UNC’s staff when taking a scheduled visit to Virginia Tech. Freddie Kitchens called him on the phone before passing it off to Belichick, telling Abou-Jaoude, “‘I’m gonna give the phone to the big man” before passing it off.

“It was surreal, for sure,” Abou-Jaoude said on Tuesday. “I remember watching him on television when I was a little kid, so to be on the phone with him was a great experience for me.”

The 6-foot-5, 260-pound defensive end landed in the college football world after working at a bagel shop in high school. The friend of Delaware’s head coach at the time noticed him there and asked him about his football goals. Abou-Jaoude was considering playing at the JuCo level, or even just getting a job after high school. But ultimately, that interaction and ensuing connection landed him in Delaware with the Blue Hens as a walk-on.

After playing one game in 2022, he played 13 games in 2023 and started in two. He took on a starting role last season, recording 24 tackles, with 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. In Delaware’s 2024 campaign, he recorded a season-high five tackles with two sacks against Richmond.

Abou-Jaoude said part of his motivation to come to UNC was to position himself to reach the NFL. His drive on the field is inspired by his desire to maximize his football career.

“That comes from my why: why I play the game,” Abou-Jaoude said. “I play the game to take care of my family. I’ve seen a game change the lives of a lot of people in their families. So every day, I just think about them and just go as hard as I can.”

Through three games, Abou-Jaoude has recorded eight tackles and a team-high two sacks. He secured sacks on back-to-back plays in North Carolina’s win against, once again, the Richmond Spiders.

UNC ranks 13th among ACC teams in rushing yards allowed per game, and it is tied for 13th with four total sacks. The Tar Heels are ninth in total defense, allowing 337.3 yards of offense per game. North Carolina’s defense struggled against Richmond but took care of business against Charlotte and Richmond, allowing nine total points and holding both teams under 300 yards.

“Just having that game film and being able to get those corrections down during practice has really helped us play more disciplined football and make sure that we’re making plays that we’re supposed to be making,” Abou-Jaoude said.

North Carolina heads into its Week 4 matchup against UCF this Saturday with a 2-1 non-conference record. ACC play will begin for the Tar Heels on Oct. 4 when they host Clemson.

Abou-Jaoude and the North Carolina defense will seek to build upon the defensive momentum against a Power Conference team to close out non-conference play.

“Melkart is another one of those guys on the team (who) might not be the most vocal, but he leads by action,” CJ Mims said on Thursday. “I feel like that’s something we do as a unit as well. Our actions (speak) more than words do.”