Greg McElroy identifies North Carolina’s breakout star entering 2023 season

ESPN’s Greg McElroy identified Kobe Paysour as North Carolina’s breakout star for the 2023 college football season.

The Tar Heels wide receiver should get more looks at this point with Tez Walker remaining sidelined. Walker was not granted eligibility this year by the NCAA.

McElroy broke down why Paysour could be the next man up and put on a show for the UNC offense on Always College Football.

“I have to go with Kobe Paysour,” McElroy said when naming his breakout star for North Carolina. “Now, he is a third year player, last year got a little bit of time, just 29 catches last year. But when you look at where he’s at, a few starts, it does kind of feel like he’s poised to kind of be that guy for Drake Maye to maybe take the next step.

“Now I think they got a bunch of weapons, they might spread the ball all over the place. I think you got a lot of talent.” 

McElroy said Paysour has a chance because UNC is going to need someone to step up, particularly in the absence of Walker.

“Are any of them Josh Downs,” McElroy said. “Probably not that at least at this point. But I would be surprised if when we looked at season’s end, we’re not pretty impressed with North Carolina’s receiving corps as a whole. And I think Kobe has a real chance to be one of the top guys that they go to. Probably going to get a lot of looks in that offense as well. So Kobe Paysour. Keep an eye on him.”

Paysour did not play as a freshman but appeared in all 12 games last season. He finished with 29 catches, 324 yards, four touchdowns and 11.4 yards per catch.

As a member of the Class of 2021, Paysour was a three-star recruit out of Gaffney (S.C.) High, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 4 overall prospect in the state, the No. 65 wide receiver in the class and the No. 429 overall prospect in the class.

Head coach Mack Brown included Paysour in a group that should get more looks when he took an early look at his wide receiver group back in March.

“And again I’m really talking to the coaches hard about cross training and making sure that we always have the best 11 on the field,” Brown said. “And that’s where you maybe take a Kobe Paysour and a Nate McCollum who are both really good at slot but one of them, if he’s the third best receiver, needs to be outside instead of being stubborn and have backup slots.”