Greg McElroy identifies North Carolina’s MVP entering 2023 season

There’s no surprise who North Carolina’s team MVP is on the football field, but Greg McElroy is here to explain why QB Drake Maye has even more responsibilities on his plate this season compred to last.

On his show, Always College Football, McElroy has gone through some of the top schools in the country ahead of the football season to judge who the MVP and breakout player will be for each club. He recently got around to the Tar Heels and issued a pretty straightforward decree on who UNC’s big man on campus is this year.

“Let’s keep it in the triangle and talk about the MVP for North Carolina,” said McElroy. “Shouldn’t require a whole lot of explanation as Drake Maye, quarterback, is the ultimate neutralizer, and what he was able to do in year one was nothing short of remarkable.”

However, with what’s gone on around him, Maye have to be even more of a focal point this year.

“Now he actually has to do even a little bit more. Why? Because his offensive coordinator’s gone, his top wide receiver is gone, he might have to shoulder the load even more than he did last year, which I’m not sure you could shoulder a load much more than that. I’m really not sure you can. Because the defense had struggled and you lose some key pieces and now you lose your OC.”

With a year of experience under his belt and brand new OC Chip Lindsey coming in, McElroy thinks Maye will take some situations into his own hands.

“Now, he’s gonna maybe… ‘hey, Chip Lindsey, I don’t like that call, coach. I don’t like that. I might adjust things at the line of scrimmage, maybe do something myself, maybe make an adjustment, a tweak, an audible here and there.'”

McElroy then pivoted to discussing Maye’s immense natural talent at the position, explaining why he and Caleb Williams are the clear-cut top QBs in college ball this fall.

“And don’t sleep on this guy’s legs either. And Drake Maye is, at worst, as far as just sheer talent is concerned, at worst, No. 2 in college football. Caleb Williams probably No. 1, but just as far as sheer talent, athleticism, accuracy, driving the ball, etc.”

When it comes to having the total package, few players are as well-put-together as Williams or Maye. Others may have supreme physical talent, says Greg McElroy, but haven’t shown what those other two have.

“Now there are some guys that have ceilings that we have not addressed. Maybe Joe Milton down the road, we have a conversation,” said Mcelroy. “But based on what I’ve seen on the field, if I can’t have Caleb Williams, I want Drake Maye. So I think that guy is the real deal. And is the obvious pick for MVP for the North Carolina Tar Heels.”

Like everyone else, Greg McElroy expects a huge year from the Tar Heel sophomore under center.