Mack Brown offers update on where North Carolina's quarterback battle stands

North Carolina has the unenviable task of trying to replace starting quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

It won’t be easy.

To that end, though, the Tar Heels hit the transfer portal to lure in another veteran quarterback that could potentially fit right in, snagging Texas A&M‘s Max Johnson. They also took back Jacolby Criswell from Arkansas. North Carolina even returns redshirt sophomore Conner Harrell.

There are plenty enough options, though coach Mack Brown is still sorting through them.

“We’ll have a scrimmage on Saturday that will be a really good scrimmage, like the first one,” Brown said. “And then after that we’ll start looking hard at depth charts and personnel more and more.”

Johnson would figure to have the lead for the job based on his experience alone, but Brown isn’t ready to call it just yet.

He’s seen a little too much back and forth from day to day to do that just yet. He confirmed as much on Sunday, speaking with reporters.

“It is. It is. All three of them are good enough, that’s a good thing,” Brown said. “Now we’ve got to figure out who’s the one that gives us the best chance to win. And you’ve got differences in that Conner can throw and runs 4.4. He hasn’t played very much. Max has played 1600 games and thrown 900 passes in the SEC and played against very tough competition in a tough league and loud stadiums. And Jacolby’s behind them simply because he wasn’t here for the spring.”

Brown was willing to narrow down the North Carolina competition just a touch, conceding that Criswell is behind.

“So right now it would be Max and Connor competing at the highest level and Jacolby coming on,” he said.

In four years at LSU and Texas A&M, Johnson has thrown for 5,853 yards and 47 touchdowns, against 12 interceptions. Harrell has thrown for 270 yards and two touchdowns, against two interceptions, during his lone playing season at North Carolina.