UNC Fall Camp Preview: Defensive Depth Chart Predictions

Starters: Smith Vilbert, Pryce Yates

Rotation: Melkart Abou-Jaoude, Tyler Thompson

Reserves: Joseph Mupoyi

North Carolina’s edge defenders feature a mix of proven production, experience and intriguing upside heading into 2025.

Yates is expected to play a major role after racking up 108 tackles, 30 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks across three seasons at UConn. Despite missing part of 2024 with an injury, he logged 3.5 sacks in seven games — including a dominant Fenway Bowl showing against UNC.

Vilbert, a Penn State transfer, brings veteran presence and playoff experience. After missing 2022 and 2023, he returned in 2024 to post 12 tackles and four TFLs over 339 snaps. Now in his seventh college season, Vilbert is the oldest player on the defense.

Delaware transfer Melkart Abou-Jaoude brings burst and production after earning All-CAA honors last fall. Redshirt sophomore Joseph Mupoyi, also from Penn State, adds developmental depth with long-term potential off the edge.

Defensive Tackles

Starters: CJ Mims, D’Antre Robinson

Rotation: Smith Vilbert, Isaiah Johnson, Peter Pesansky

Reserves: Joseph Mupoyi

If there’s one position group that could quietly shape North Carolina’s defensive identity in 2025, it’s the interior defensive line.

Led by experienced transfers and high-upside underclassmen, the unit brings a mix of toughness, production and depth. Last year, UNC ranked 72nd nationally in total defense and 11th in the ACC against the run. This group could help change that.

Redshirt junior CJ Mims, an ECU transfer, posted 11 run stops and 1.5 sacks last season and can play multiple spots inside. D’Antre Robinson, a Florida transfer, showed promise in 11 games as a true freshman and didn’t miss a tackle. Isaiah Johnson, who arrived post-spring from Arizona, adds strength against the run and posted a 10.2% pressure rate in limited snaps.

Vilbert's size and speed could move him to the inside as well for certain packages.

Redshirt freshman Peter Pesansky didn’t play in 2024 but was a highly rated recruit with leadership credentials. Together, this group has the potential to anchor a much-improved Tar Heel front.

Linebackers

Starters: Khmori House, Andrew Simpson

Rotation: Mikai Gbayor

Reserves: Evan Bennett, Jonathan Agumadu, Timir Hickman-Collins

Arguably one of the most underrated position groups on the team, there is a quiet confidence surrounding North Carolina’s linebacker room entering fall camp — one that might even earn a nod from Bill Belichick himself.

In Carolina's 4-2-5 defense, there will only be two starting linebackers in its base defense. Going off of that, I believe House and Simpson will be the starters.

House, a Washington transfer who is one of the few underclassmen who will be one of the starters fro this defense, brings familiarity with Steve Belichick’s system. In 2024, he recorded 35 tackles and four pass breakups in a rotational role, showcasing speed and versatility as a coverage linebacker and spy.

Redshirt senior Andrew Simpson is the most accomplished of the group, arriving from Boise State with 141 career tackles and 12.5 sacks 

Grad transfer Mikai Gbayor, who recently flipped to Missouri, was a steady presence at Nebraska with 49 tackles and a strong run defense grade in 2024.

Cornerback

Starters: Marcus Allen, Thaddeus Dixon

Rotation: Ty Adams, Jalon Thompson

Dixon brings both pedigree and schematic familiarity to North Carolina’s secondary. The Washington transfer played under Steve Belichick in Seattle last season and was a key contributor to a Huskies defense that ranked No. 2 nationally against the pass in 2024.

Over the past two seasons, Dixon recorded 69 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, 16 pass breakups and a forced fumble. This will be his fifth season of college football, including time at the junior college level.

Allen returns as a third-year starter at cornerback for the Tar Heels and is coming off a strong 2024 campaign.

Thompson and Adams served in backup roles last season and bring limited game experience. Although they didn’t see many snaps in the secondary, both practiced daily against a high-powered North Carolina offense. They are expected to take on larger roles this season, even if in a rotational capacity.

Safeties

Nickel: Kaleb Cost

String Safety: Gavin Gibson

Free Safety: Will Hardy

Rotation: Coleman Bryson, Malcolm Ziglar, Tre Miller

Cost, Gibson and Hardy are projected to start at safety.

Cost and Gibson offer positional flexibility, capable of playing both nickelback and strong safety without a noticeable drop-off.

Cost started all 13 games last season and led all Tar Heel defenders with 836 snaps. He finished the year with 69 tackles, two interceptions and six pass breakups.

Gibson is a versatile addition who can line up at either safety spot or nickelback. At East Carolina in 2024, he totaled 52 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three interceptions — one returned for a touchdown — three pass breakups and a forced fumble.

Bryson, Miller and Ziglar can come in and get some reps as well.