Tez Walker believes he has grown a lot during first spring at UNC

After a highly productive junior year at Kent State, Devontez “Tez” Walker jumped into the transfer portal and landed with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Over the spring, Walker has been doing everything he can to carve out a role in the Tar Heels offense next season.

Working to earn a key role in North Carolina’s offense for next season will require a ton of growth from the shifty wideout. And Walker believes he’s done that and then some during his first spring at UNC.

“I feel like I made a lot of good progress. I’ve grown a lot over the last three weeks of being here (and) being around some of the guys and these coaches; learning from some of these coaches. So like, really good progress throughout the spring,” said Walker.

As far as where the new Tar Heels wide receiver sees where he’s made the most progress, it is actually more mental than physical.

“I’d say playing faster. They are big on me, playing faster than how I was playing. I think that the chemistry with Drake (Maye), obviously that’s getting better every practice.”

There’s still plenty of time before North Carolina’s 2023 season gets underway, which will start with a highly anticipated match-up against rival South Carolina. That gave us Walker plenty of time to further develop his chemistry with Maye and get better acclimated with North Carolina’s fast-paced style of offense.

Walker on Maye’s spring game performance

UNC concluded its spring game on Saturday, and quarterback Drake Maye was right back in form, showing a unique ability to pick up right where he left off after a fantastic redshirt freshman campaign in 2022.

Maye threw two touchdown passes in the game, including a 35-yard strike to receiver Devontez Walker on a go route.

“It was just me and him on our off days, we get together and we try to get chemistry on those type of passes,” Walker said after the game. “I tell him how I want it, he knows how fast I am, so he just really puts it out there, I run under it.”

Walker is a new addition to the North Carolina offense, arriving by way of the transfer portal after a breakout season at Kent State in 2022.

The first-team All-MAC selection tallied 58 catches for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022, helping the Golden Flashes offense produce in the passing game.