Tar Heels in the Pros: Former UNC standouts gearing up for 2023 NFL season

With the 2023 NFL season set to begin on Sept. 7, professional football is just around the corner. With four new selections in this year’s NFL draft, 22 UNC alumni will suit up for their respective teams.

Here's a look at a few former Tar Heels, from rookies to seasoned veterans, ahead of next month’s kickoff.

Sam Howell

Second-year pro Sam Howell was an explosive dual-threat quarterback at North Carolina, claiming 27 school records, including 10,283 passing yards and 111 combined passing and rushing touchdowns.

Boasting a powerful arm, Howell's specialty at North Carolina was his deep ball accuracy. However, less recognized is his ground game: Howell registered three games of over 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards, second to only Louisville's Lamar Jackson in the last 25 years.

Selected by the Washington Commanders 144th overall in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, Howell assumed a backup role behind Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke, who split snaps throughout the season. Making his first appearance in Week 18 against the Dallas Cowboys, Howell completed 11 passes on 19 attempts with a touchdown and an interception.

On August 18, the Washington Commanders formally announced that Howell would be the starting quarterback. However, with the Commanders' offseason signing of quarterback Jacoby Brissett, expect the two signal-callers to continue competing for the job.

So far Howell has seen success, tossing two touchdowns and nearly 200 passing yards in just one half against the Baltimore Ravens on August 21.

Josh Downs 

One of North Carolina’s most decorated wide receivers, Josh Downs was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the 79th pick in the 2023 NFL draft. In 2022, Downs racked up 1,029 receiving yards, becoming the second player in school history to record multiple 1,000 receiving-yard seasons. He finished his career at North Carolina with 22 touchdowns and over 200 receptions. 

Indianapolis struggled in the pass game last season, ranking 23rd in the league with just 202 passing yards per game. Given their decision to name rookie Anthony Richardson as the starting quarterback over a more experienced Gardner Minshew, it's likely that the Colts are optimistic about rebuilding their organization around young talent.

Joined by returning wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Ashton Dulin, Downs is poised to put up big numbers in the slot, picking up right where he left off in Chapel Hill.  

Mitch Trubisky

Mitch Trubisky was selected as the second overall pick in 2017 by the Chicago Bears. In his second season, Trubisky led the Bears to 12 wins and was named to the 2018 Pro Bowl.

However, he struggled to find consistency in the Windy City, with the Bears winning just over half of their games in the next two seasons. In 2021, Trubisky had a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills before ultimately landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Trubisky went 1-2 in his first three starts in 2022, throwing for 569 total yards, two touchdowns and one interception. In week four, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin switched gears and started rookie Kenny Pickett under center. For the rest of the season, Trubisky remained the backup quarterback.

This past offseason, Trubisky signed a two-year extension, set to receive $19.4 million in Pittsburgh through 2025. Voted a Steelers captain for 2023, Trubisky will assume more of a veteran leadership role on the sideline as he enters year seven.

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