Linebacker Noah Taylor becomes latest transfer to join UNC football from within ACC
Former Virginia linebacker Noah Taylor announced on Monday that he will play for North Carolina. Taylor is the second transfer from within the ACC’s Coastal Division that the Tar Heels have accepted this month.
Former Miami offensive lineman Corey Gaynor also will join the Heels as a graduate transfer.
UNC coach Mack Brown has previously said his philosophy on transfers was to only take players who could come in as starters. Running back Ty Chandler, who joined the Heels as a graduate transfer from Tennessee last year, started every game for UNC this season.
Taylor, 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, is set to graduate this month and enroll at UNC for the spring semester. He could help fill the void left by linebacker Tomon Fox, who is now third in program history with 28.5 career sacks, next season. Taylor started all 12 games for the Cavaliers this season and finished third on the team with 69 tackles.
Gaynor played for UNC offensive line coach Stacey Searles while he served in the same capacity at Miami from 2016-18. Gaynor is expected to compete for the starting job at center, where he started 27 consecutive games for the Hurricanes before a season-ending injury against Michigan State on Sept. 18.
It was a much-needed get for Carolina, which will lose right tackle Jordan Tucker and awaits word from offensive linemen Marcus McKethan and Josh Ezeudu, who are still weighing whether or not to turn pro.
This story was originally published December 27, 2021 at 2:31 PM with the headline "Linebacker Noah Taylor becomes latest transfer to join UNC football from within ACC."