UNC Football: Cedric Gray named to Butkus Award Watchlist

2-3 minutes 8/10/2023 UNC Football senior linebacker Cedric Gray has been named to the Butkus Award Watchlist for the upcoming 2023 football season. The UNC football program has seen several players earn honors on pre-season watchlists across the country for their respective positions. Now, 23 days from kickoff, another player has earned their name on a watchlist.

Cedric Gray has been one of 51 players named to the Butkus Award preseason watchlist. Gray was third in the nation in total tackles in 2022, and was first among power five linebackers, with 144 total tackles. He has seen several pre-season honors already, being named to the 2023 Preseason All-ACC Football team.

Gray has also seen recognition this offseason from Pro Football Focus by first being named to a list of draft-eligible linebackers “names to know” and then being listed in the top five linebackers for the 2024 NFL Draft. For the UNC football defense, Tar Heel fans know just how valuable and important Gray is to the success of this year’s team. He is essentially the quarterback of the defense and can move all over the field.

The defense is hoping to take a massive step in the right direction after being looked at as mediocre in 2022 and a major weak spot for a team that was 9-1 through 10 games last season. .

Jordan Falls
·
Filed 08.12.2023

Players Mentioned in This Article

Cedric Gray

Recent Stories

How a Wisconsin legend got his German protégé into Badgers pro day

Mar 15, 2024 Marlon Werthmann put his life on hold for the opportunity in front of him Friday at the McClain Center.Werthmann — a 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive ...

Why former Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen didn't run the 40 at pro day

Mar 15, 2024 Braelon Allen’s sweat covered his shirt and dripped off his beard as he approached a group of reporters Friday.The former University of Wisconsin football ...

How can UW recruit its best class ever? It starts with these five prospects

By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter Jedd Fisch has lofty recruiting goals at Washington. He didn’t waste any time laying out his expectations to “do ...

Texas football kicks off spring practice Tuesday. We answer 24 questions for the 2024 team

Things certainly look fresh for the 2024 college football season, especially on the Texas campus.There’s a new conference for the Longhorns, if you haven’t heard. ...
Read More Stories

Latest Player Notes

How a Wisconsin legend got his German protégé into Badgers pro day

Mar 15, 2024 Marlon Werthmann put his life on hold for the opportunity in front of him Friday at the McClain Center.Werthmann ...

Why former Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen didn't run the 40 at pro day

Mar 15, 2024 Braelon Allen’s sweat covered his shirt and dripped off his beard as he approached a group of reporters Friday.The ...

How can UW recruit its best class ever? It starts with these five prospects

By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter Jedd Fisch has lofty recruiting goals at Washington. He didn’t waste any ...

Texas football kicks off spring practice Tuesday. We answer 24 questions for the 2024 team

Things certainly look fresh for the 2024 college football season, especially on the Texas campus.There’s a new conference ...

College Football Playoff: Conferences solve their differences (for now) and agree on general framework for 2026 and beyond

The FBS conferences and Notre Dame agreed on Friday to continue the College Football Playoff beyond the 2025 season, signing ...

Ball security, leadership key as Aztecs look to identify starting quarterback

San Diego State seemingly auditions a new starting quarterback on an annual basis.In the past 12 years, the Aztecs have opened ...

Results and more: A look at what happened at Penn State football’s Pro Day inside Holuba Hall

Most of those at Penn State’s Pro Day Friday were relatively quiet throughout the afternoon’s workouts, but there was one ...

Defense dominates first two weeks of Oregon State spring practice as Beavers ready for 2-week breather

CORVALLIS – Oregon State hit the break of spring practices Saturday, not exactly the midpoint but a good place to assess ...

Dillon Gabriel to have similar input, autonomy as Bo Nix had in Oregon’s offense

Published Mar. 16, 2024, 6:26 p.m.By James CrepeaEUGENE — Dillon Gabriel will have much of the same autonomy as Bo Nix did ...

Two transfers, one underclassman who impressed in Missouri football's spring game

With that, spring camp’s a wrap.Missouri football held its Black & Gold spring game Saturday in front of a healthy crowd ...
See More Player Notes