Count ESPN among the many outlets projecting big things for Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels next season. The outlet’s newest Way-Too-Early Top 25 poll, released Tuesday, had Carolina ranked as the No. 1 team in the country. ESPN’s previous poll had UNC ranked No. 5, but that was before the core of Armando Bacot, Caleb Love, R.J. Davis and Leaky Black announced their intentions to return to school. The only notable departure from this past season’s team is Brady Manek.

CBS Sports’ version of the Way-Too-Early poll also has the Tar Heels as its top team.

Rounding out the Top 5 in the ESPN poll are No. 2 Houston, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 4 UCLA and No. 5 Creighton. Duke ranks at No. 7, Virginia at No. 21 and Miami at No. 22.

Though the Tar Heels can’t rise any higher in the Way-Too-Early polls, the team still has the ability to add more talent to its roster. Following Kerwin Walton’s entry into the transfer portal, Hubert Davis has one extra scholarship available to a player from the transfer portal. Depending on which player earns that scholarship, Carolina has an excellent chance to be the preseason No. 1 team in the AP poll for the first time since the beginning of the 2015-16 season. The Tar Heels advanced all the way to the national championship game that season.

 

Featured image via Todd Melet

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