Sixteen Former Tar Heels Make NFL Roster Cuts

Initial roster cuts in the NFL were finalized Tuesday afternoon, as teams across the league trimmed their preseason rosters down to the mandated 53-man size. 

Sixteen former Tar Heels made active NFL rosters, and three other players each received different injury designations that could lead to a roster spot once healthy again. No rookie undrafted free agent from UNC made initial cuts this year, as Power Echols (Chicago Bears), Kaimon Rucker (Baltimore Ravens), Bryson Nesbit (Minnesota Vikings), J.J. Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars), John Copenhaver (Jaguars), Nate McCollum (Arizona Cardinals), Jahvaree Ritzie (New England Patriots) and Des Evans (Tennessee Titans) all were waived.

Three Carolina quarterbacks earned roster spots. The group is headlined by Drake Maye, the third overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft. He threw for 2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season, and was a replacement addition to the Pro Bowl. Mitch Trubisky (Buffalo Bills) and Sam Howell (Philadelphia Eagles) also made rosters, and both figure to serve as backups. Howell was traded from the Minnesota Vikings to the Eagles on Sunday. Philadelphia, the defending Super Bowl champions, saw backup quarterback Tanner McKee suffer a fractured thumb in the preseason, an injury that’s set to sideline him for a couple weeks.

Running backs Omarion Hampton (Los Angeles Chargers), Javonte Williams (Dallas Cowboys), Ty Chandler (Vikings) and British Brooks (Houston Texans) each earned roster spots. Hampton was the 22nd overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. He is Carolina’s highest drafted running back since Ethan Horton, who went No. 15 overall in the 1985 draft. Michael Carter, a fourth round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft who ranks fifth all-time in rushing at UNC, was waived by the Cardinals.

Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts) leads the group of former Carolina receivers to make NFL rosters. He figures to be the lead receiver for the Colts this season, after leading Indianapolis in receiving yards per game last year (57.4 yards). Tez Walker (Ravens), Dyami Brown (Jaguars) and Mack Hollins (Patriots) also made rosters.

Charlie Heck (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Asim Richards (New Orleans Saints) are the two former UNC offensive linemen on NFL active rosters. The Saints traded for Richards from the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday.

Additionally, Joshua Ezeudu (New York Giants) was placed on injured reserve (IR) with a return designation, while Willie Lampkin (Los Angeles Rams) was waived with an injury designation. Ezeudu will have to spend at least four games on IR, before making his expected return to the Giants’ active roster. NFL teams can call up to eight players from IR across the regular season.

Lampkin suffered knee and ankle injures in the Rams’ second preseason game. It was a tough break for the undersized Lampkin, who had a particularly impressive preseason. He graded out as the highest-rated rookie offensive lineman from the preseason (88.1), according to data from Pro Football Focus. Being waived with an injury designation leaves open the opportunity for Lampkin to stay in Los Angeles if he clears waivers.

Veterans Cole Holcomb (Pittsburgh Steelers) and M.J. Stewart (Texans), and second-year pro Cedric Gray (Titans) are the only former UNC players on defense to make 53-man rosters. Rookie cornerback Alijah Huzzie was placed on the Texans’ non-football injury (NFI) list. This designation is commonly used for rookies who still are recovering from injuries suffered in college. 

Huzzie suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee in late January at the Shrine Bowl. He also sprained his lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in that same knee, which had to fully heal before surgery. Huzzie had surgery on March 3 to repair the torn ACL.