Tyler Thompson Playing With 'Effort and Violence' On UNC's Defensive Line

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tyler Thompson made his first career start on the edge as a redshirt-freshman in 2024, tasked with filling a significant hole on defense.

Thompson started in place of the injured Kaimon Rucker, currently a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, who led UNC in sacks in the 2023 campaign. Thompson, who joined the team in 2023 under Mack Brown, remembers learning from Rucker on how to enhance his game-day preparation throughout the week.

“I feel like that’s one big thing Kaimon taught me, because he always prepared, always brought notes to meetings,” Thompson said on Tuesday. “So I feel like when I got in the game, I could have been more prepared. So preparation is definitely something I learned from those times.”

That understanding of readiness prepared Thompson for this season, one that’s become the best of his career so far.

Thompson is up to seven sacks on the year, the second most for the Tar Heels and third most in the ACC. Each of those seven sacks has come in the last four weeks, and he’s had at least one sack per game in that span. With his sacks, he’s also up to two forced fumbles this season.

Thompson recorded a career-high three sacks against Stanford in UNC’s 20-15 victory on Saturday. Thompson said his recent success has come with consistency as well as on-field tenacity.

“Really just effort and violence, bro,” Thompson said. “If you really want it, you’ll get it. So coaches are investing in me, just telling me to focus on my job and focus on making the plays that come to me. Because when you try to overcompensate and do someone else’s job, you actually end up not doing your own job. You kind of mess up the plays that come to you. So I feel like that was kind of a main emphasis for me.”

Coming into college, Thompson knew he needed to gain weight. He recalls weighing in around 190 pounds before joining Brown’s Tar Heels. Bill Belichick credited him for adding weight entering this season. Thompson is listed at 240 pounds, having weighed 225 pounds last year.

Thompson said the conditioning program with Moses Cabrera, along with changes in his nutrition with help from Amber Rinestine-Ressa, helped him become stronger.

“He’s worked really hard, going all the way back to the spring,” Belichick said on Saturday. “He’s really worked hard on us on his pass rush. He’s gotten a lot stronger. He was, I think, about maybe 15 to 20 pounds lighter than he is now. And that’s all really good weight. He’s explosive, he’s strong and his fundamentals and techniques rushing the passer have been something he’s refined and worked on.”

Along with Thompson, Melkart Abou Jaoude has supplied needed contributions for UNC’s defensive line. Abou Jaoude is up to 10 sacks, ranking him first in the ACC and fifth in the country. Thompson’s sack numbers, along with Abou Jaoude’s, have lifted a UNC defense that only managed four sacks in the first four games.

“He’s just been working, head down,” Khmori House said on Saturday about Thompson. “Working from fall camp, from spring ball to now. From last year, since he was here. So Tyler’s been working. He’s a great football player, and he’s gonna continue to reap his benefits on Saturdays, too.”

Thompson considers North Carolina “home,” citing that as a reason he stayed through the coaching change last year.

The 6-foot-4 outside linebacker continues to aid a continually improving UNC defense. His efforts have helped North Carolina pole vault to 27 sacks on the year, ranking second in the conference and 12th nationally. After waiting his turn, Thompson is showcasing his progress for the Tar Heels.

“It’s definitely challenging, but that’s something you have to leave up to God,” Thompson said. “Patience is definitely something that’s important when it comes to going to any level of football, whether that’s going from middle school to high school, high school to college, college to NFL. You’re going to have guys in front of you that are older, that have been here, that have done it. Just being patient and controlling your processes and just getting better 1% within yourself, I think that’s what’s very important.”