Defensive line has been somewhat of an underperforming spot for the University of North Carolina football team in recent years.

Despite nabbing four and 5-star in-state recruits like Keeshawn Silver (now with Kentucky), Desmond Evans and Travis Shaw, the sack totals are nowhere near what they should be for this talented defensive unit.

Kaimon Rucker and Noah Taylor led UNC with 3.5 sacks apiece in 2022. Shaw nor Evans recorded a single sack.

College offenses tend to run the spread offense more, so lower sack totals are understandable. With guys like Evans and Shaw on the defensive line, though, higher totals are expected.

Let’s take a look at Great Day Tar Heel and see who fans think will lead Carolina in sacks this fall:

According to Ourlads NFL Scouting Services, UNC’s starting defensive line will be Evans, defensive tackle Myles Murphy and nose tackle Kevin Hester Jr. Jacolbe Cowan and Beau Atkinson back up Evans on the outside, Jahvaree Ritzee and Kedrick Bingley-Jones slot in behind Murphy, while Shaw and Tomari Fox slide in behind Hester.

There will be plenty opportunity for UNC players to generate sacks in the fall. It wouldn’t be surprising to see defensive coordinator Gene Chizik list his D-line starters for one game (say, the Sept. 9 home opener against App State), then rotate everyone in throughout the game. This strategy would allow everyone to keep fresh legs and give Chizik an idea of who his top contributors are.

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Story originally appeared on Tarheels Wire