UNC Quarterly PFF Report Card: Assessing the Defense’s Performance

With a quarter of the season complete and the offense already reviewed, it's time to break down North Carolina's PFF grades on defense.

Here's an explanation of how PFF's grading works: On every play, a PFF analyst will grade each player on a scale of -2 to +2, ranging from a pick-six to a late touchdown pass with expected plays graded as a 0. Each game is graded by two different analysts and any discrepancies are settled by a senior analyst. Grades are then normalized to account for game situation and converted to a 0-100 scale.

Quarterly Defensive PFF Grades

UNC — Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Richmond Spiders running back Andrew King (8) runs as North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Smith Vilbert (8) defends in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Category	Grade
Defense	82.5
Run Defense	86.2
Tackling	78.2
Pass Rush	71.6
Coverage	75.4

The Tar Heels' defense has been steady, allowing 344.5 yards per game to rank 61st nationally. Opponents are averaging 209 passing yards and 136.5 rushing yards per game—both marked improvements for North Carolina this season.

Despite some progress, the Tar Heels continue to struggle in key defensive areas. They rank 98th nationally in fourth-down conversions allowed, 108th in third-down conversions, 112th in tackles for loss per game, 116th in first downs allowed, and are tied for 120th in sacks per game.

Top 5 Performers

Here are the best players based off of their defensive grades according to PFF. All players must have played at least 50 snaps:

DL Xavier Lewis - 81.8

UNC — Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Richmond Spiders quarterback Ashten Snelsire (18) looks to pass as North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Xavier Lewis (90) pressures in the fourth quarter at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Lewis has posted five tackles and two stops—plays that result in failed drives for opposing offenses. He is a strong pass rusher, earning an 83.7 grade overall and an 89.9 grade in true pass sets. Lewis owns a 22.5% pass rush win rate with two hurries and three quarterback hits.

DL Isaiah Johnson - 81.8

Johnson, an Arizona transfer, has made a strong impact this season. He leads North Carolina’s defensive line with 13 tackles and has recorded eight stops. Johnson owns a 79.5 run defense grade and a 77.8 tackling grade.

LB Mikai Gbayor - 76.4

UNC — North Carolina linebacker Mikai Gbayor returned a 66-yard fumble for a touchdown in the Tar Heels' 41-6 victory over Richmond (Sept. 4, 2025). | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Gbayor, a Nebraska transfer, has quickly emerged as one of North Carolina’s most impactful additions, posting 16 tackles, seven stops, two tackles for loss, and a sack. He has also forced a fumble and returned a fumble recovery 62 yards for a touchdown. Impressively, Gbayor has not missed a tackle through four games.

LB Andrew Simpson - 75.6

UNC — Sep 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte 49ers quarterback Conner Harrell (15) is tackled by North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Andrew Simpson (2) for a sack during the second half at Jerry Richardson Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Simpson, a Boise State transfer, leads the Tar Heels with 28 tackles and four tackles for loss totaling 16 yards. He also has 18 stops, a sack, and three missed tackles for an 8.8% missed tackle rate.

Safety Gavin Gibson - 74.1

Gibson has recorded 18 tackles, including one for a loss, five stops, and a pass breakup this season. He is anothe

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