Veteran Kobe Paysour Hitting Stride, Seeing More Opportunities

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Six different quarterbacks have completed passes to Kobe Paysour at North Carolina across his five seasons with the team.

Paysour spent his true freshman season with Sam Howell, though he didn’t catch a pass that year, and the following two years with Drake Maye. In each of the last two seasons, he’s been around for quarterback battles and played with multiple passers throughout that stretch. Paysour’s been part of a UNC team that reached the ACC Championship and played in the Holiday Bowl, and he’s also been on teams that finished under .500. He’s played with NFL caliber talent while showing flashes of his own when healthy.

With what he’s seen and experienced, he makes it a point to impart wisdom to UNC’s young group of wide receivers in practice.

In games, though, the Tar Heels have looked to Paysour offensively in recent weeks. Paysour has caught 12 total passes in his last three games, making three or more catches in three straight games for the first time in his career. 

“I was just waiting my turn,” Paysour said on Thursday about his recent uptick in production. “I know I’ve had some things go on in the past, so just being able to do that now and having the coaches trust in me in being able to give me the ball. It’s been a great aspect for the last couple of games I’ve had.”

Paysour didn’t play much to start the year, as his first catch of the season was an eight-yard touchdown in UNC’s fourth game against UCF. He battled what he called a minor injury during the spring before recovering, but he didn’t see many opportunities until the team’s game against Cal. That day, he recorded six catches for a career-high 101 yards, reaching 100 yards for the second time in his career. He continued to see opportunities in the next two weeks, with three catches against Virginia and three more in the win against Syracuse. 

With his recent emergence, Paysour is second to Jordan Shipp in receiving yards for UNC. The Tar Heels have been looking for steady playmakers in the passing game, and wide receivers coach Garrick McGee said on Thursday that Shipp (384 yards) and Paysour (232 yards) have “separated themselves” as the lead guys in that room.

McGee credited Paysour for his continued willingness to play in the spring despite being limited by the injury. 

“Once he got out there, it was hard to get him off the field, even when he was just supposed to do a little bit,” McGee said. “He wanted to do more and wanted to do more. And so that’s when my respect for him showed up, that this kid really loves playing football. He’ll play through injuries. He understands. He’s been here a long time, he’s had some injuries, but he’s not afraid to go back out there and wonder if I’m going to get injured again. He just kept going and wanted to do more.”

Paysour, who hails from Kings Mountain, added: “I wanted to impress them, and not even that, I just love the game of football. Just trying to improve my craft every day, every week, every chance I could. Just 1%.”

Paysour’s father, Bryant, gave him the name Kobe as a tribute to Kobe Brynat, the older Paysour’s favorite player. Kobe Paysour also took on his father’s first name as his middle name, and like the NBA Hall of Famer, he dons the No. 8.

Many of Paysour’s veterans have been gone for multiple years. He remembers the days he played behind Beau Corrales, Josh Downs and Antoine Green and how they taught him that football is a great way to make connections.

Paysour said his family’s belief and teammates’ confidence in him has helped him through this year, as the oldest wide receiver on the team is showcasing his gifts entering the last third of the season.

“Having those guys see what I’ve done in the past, and just saying that, ‘We know you got that, and we know that you’ve been that guy,’” Paysour said.