After a historic regular season which saw him break UNC’s single-season records for receptions and receiving yards, sophomore receiver Josh Downs was named to the All-ACC first team Tuesday morning.

Downs tallied 98 catches, 1,273 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season for the Tar Heels, and caught at least eight passes in 10 of UNC’s 12 games. He caught a touchdown in seven consecutive games to begin the season, a streak which extends to eight games when counting last January’s Orange Bowl. Downs was also named one of 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top pass-catcher.

Several of Downs’ teammates were named to other All-ACC teams. Graduate transfer running back Ty Chandler and sophomore defensive lineman Myles Murphy were both named to the second team. In his only season for Carolina, Chandler surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his collegiate career, while also scoring a career-best 13 touchdowns. Four of those scores came in a comeback win for UNC over then-undefeated Wake Forest. Murphy became a disruptive force on the defensive line in a breakout season, placing second on the team in both tackles for loss and sacks.

Three Tar Heels feature on the third team: senior linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel, senior defensive lineman Tomon Fox and junior defensive back Cam’Ron Kelly. Gemmel has been a staple in the Carolina defense since Mack Brown’s first season back in Chapel Hill as head coach. Gemmel’s 73 total tackles this season ranked second on the team. Fox’s seven and a half sacks and nine tackles for loss both led the Tar Heels, while Kelly became a ball hawk in the secondary with a team-high four interceptions.

Finally, five Tar Heels were named to the All-ACC Honorable Mention team: junior quarterback Sam Howell, sophomore cornerback Tony Grimes, junior offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu, senior offensive lineman Marcus McKethan and senior defensive lineman Ray Vohasek. This is the third time in three seasons Howell has been named to an All-ACC team. McKethan was named the ACC’s Offensive Lineman of the Week twice this season, while Grimes, who enrolled early at UNC last year, led Carolina with nine pass break-ups.

 

Featured image via Angelica Edwards/The Daily Tar Heel

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