Fall Camp Preview: TE Scouting Report for Belichick, UNC

The former No. 1 tight end in the country for the Class of 2022 has had an up-and-down career so far.

After a breakout sophomore season at Texas A&M in 2023, when he recorded 24 catches for 235 yards and four touchdowns, Johnson followed his older brother Max to Chapel Hill. But his first year with the Tar Heels didn’t go as planned.

Not only did he watch his brother suffer a season-ending injury in the opener, but Johnson’s playing time also decreased. He logged 202 offensive snaps, most of which were run blocks. At Texas A&M the previous year, he had 248 snaps on pass plays alone.

Still, Johnson remains a talented player with a chance for a bounce-back season. He is expected to get more reps this year and has proven reliable, with just one drop on 38 career targets.

Johnson is poised to have a breakout year in 2025.

Jordan Owens, Sr. (6-6, 265)

Owens was a late post-spring transfer from Oklahoma State but played for FCS Central Arkansas last season. Besides Johnson, he has the second-best production in the tight end room.

Last season, Owens caught 19 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. On 33 targets, he only dropped one for an splendid 3.4% drop rate.

Owens also proved to be a strong blocker, logging twice as many snaps in pass protection (364) as he did running routes (154). He had a 80.9 pass block and 63.3 run block grad according to PFF.

His size and soft hands will be beneficial for Carolina he can come in for multi-tight end sets to help clear running lanes but also has the ability to catch passes when needed to do so.

Connor Cox, R-Soph. (6-6, 250)

While he's only played 40 snaps in two seasons, he is somebody that will benefit being in a group that doesn't have a whole lot of production.

He was in Chapel Hill druing the spring and gained 15 pounds as he was 235 pounds last year according to South Carolina's website.

Shamar Easter, R- Soph. (6-5, 220)

Shamar Easter didn't get a lot of playing time at Arkansas and he hopes to find more playing time in Chapel Hill. Arkansas' coaching staff moved from tight end and wide receiver at some point last season. However, Easter is similar to former UNC All-ACC tight end Byron Nesbit in terms of his athleticism and size.

The potential is there for him, which is why the Arkansas coaching staff tried to give him a try on the outside. Out of high school, Easter was a Top 200 recruit nationally, a Top 10 tight end and the No. 1 player out of the state of Arkansas.