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Tar Heels in the NFL: 2020 Season Kickoff

With rosters finalizing and season up in the air, we're finally to the NFL kickoff. What Tar Heels have landed where?

This is the full list of former UNC football players that have made their way on to an NFL roster. The players are presented alphabetically. This list was last updated on September 8, 2020. 

Giovani Bernard – Cincinnati Bengals

He enters his eighth season in the NFL, all with the Bengals. After taking a step back in the last couple of years, Bernard looks to have a fresh role on the offense after the franchise took QB Joe Burrow first overall in the Draft.

Tre Boston – Carolina Panthers

Boston enters year two in his second stint with the Panthers. Last year he started every game for Carolina, and he will expect to do the same this season.

Eric Ebron - Pittsburgh Steelers

He seems to be very happy with his new home and teammates. Ebron has settled in and has impressed in camp. He has proven to be one of the top red zone threats in the NFL, and looks to be a big part of a revitalized offense in Pittsburgh.

Charlie Heck – Houston Texans

Heck was drafted in the sixth round of this year’s draft and has followed that up with earning a spot on the teams 53-man roster.

Cole Holcomb – Washington Football Team

Holcomb is still impressing coaches as an undrafted player. He is expecting a big year in just his second season in the league. Holcomb started all but one game for Washington 2019.

Mack Hollins – Miami Dolphins

Hollins was picked up by the Dolphins after three years in Philadelphia. He earned himself a Super Bowl ring during his rookie year with the Eagles. Despite going undrafted, Hollins enters his fourth season in the NFL. He has shown value as a special teams player.

James Hurst – New Orleans Saints

Spent first six seasons with the Ravens, and now finds his way to New Orleans. He will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension.

M.J. Stewart – Cleveland Browns

Stewart will get a fresh start after two years with the Buccaneers. Stewart could feature well on a defense that looks to make up for a lackluster season in 2019.

Jason Strowbridge – Miami Dolphins

A fifth round pick this year, Strowbridge has shown flashes during his short time with the Dolphins. He was considered a high-value pick by a lot of analysts, and it will be interesting to see how he progresses as a rookie.

Mitch Trubisky – Chicago Bears

After a tumultuous first three seasons in the NFL, Trubisky looks to settle and reset this year. The team wanted to make sure that he knew his seat was warming when they brought in NFL veteran Nick Foles this offseason. Trubisky has respondable well, with Head Coach Matt Nagy saying outright that Mitch won the job.

Robert Quinn – Chicago Bears

A veteran in the NFL, Quinn enters his 10 year in the league. He has been a perennial start in the NFL since after his rookie season. This is third team in as many years after playing his first seven for the Rams.

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Other Tar Heels in the League

Russell Bodine – Detroit Lions

Bodine announced in August that he would be opting out of the 2020 season. He signed with the Lions in January.

Aaron Crawford - Ravens Practice Squad

Crawford was understated this year, but he showed potential in Baltimore’s camp this summer and he’s made the team’s practice squad. 

Jalen Dalton – Saints Injured Reserve

Suffered season-ending triceps injury during camp. He was fighting for one of the last spots on the 53-man roster, but was injured before cuts.

Myles Dorn –Vikings Injured Reserve

After initially being signed as an undrafted free agent, Dorn was released from the Vikings with a medical tag. However, after no other teams claimed him off waivers, he has been added back to the Vikings’ organization on their IR list.

T.J. Logan – Buccaneers Injured Reserve

He suffered a leg injury prior to the final roster cuts, and because of this he will miss the 2020 season.

Andre Smith – Bills Practice Squad

Was traded to Buffalo from the Panthers. He was waived by the team, but then signed to their practice squad.

William Sweet – 49ers Practice Squad

He has made the practice squad for the defending NFC Champions.

Antonio Williams – Bills Practice Squad

Williams was cut by the team twice this summer. He found his way back to Chapel Hill as an assistant coach for a short time before he was called back to Buffalo. This was obviously to set up a move to place him on the practice squad.