UNC defender to miss 2023 season

Hamrick will miss his sophomore campaign after suffering an injury during spring camp.

Bob Donnan/USA Today Sports

Mack Brown and the UNC football staff addressed the media on Tuesday as the spring season is underway in Chapel Hill. Along with the introduction of new faces on the coaching staff, Brown also gave updates and news on members of the football program.

With that came some deflating information on the defensive side of the ball, as sophomore Malaki Hamrick will miss the 2023 campaign due to a lower body injury.

“Disappointed for Malaki Hamrick that he got hurt, non-contact injury," said Brown while meeting with the media on Tuesday. "This is a tough sport. And we constantly talk to the guys that you can't control what happens to you. He also lost a friend this weekend in an accident. But you can handle how you respond to it. And that's part of life.

Hamrick appeared in all 13 games for the Tar Heels as a true freshman, mainly seeing time at the Jack position. The Shelby, NC native recorded nine tackles during his first season in Chapel Hill and saw playing time on 142 total snaps.

He was a part of North Carolina's No. 11 ranked recruiting class in 2022 and was the No. 4 overall player out of the Tar Heel state.

As Hamrick is sidelined for the upcoming season, who will step up in his absence?