University of North Carolina Athletics
Newcomers Fit Right In With UNC’s Front Seven
September 15, 2026 | Football
Edge rusher Jaylen Harvey and the linebacker duo of Peyton Seelmann and Derek McDonald are making their presence known.
UNC edge rusher Jaylen Harvey goes by backfieldgeneral on Instagram.Â
The redshirt sophomore lived up to his handle this past Saturday, spending a good amount of time in the East Tennessee State backfield during the Tar Heels' 35-3 victory.Â
Harvey, who played two seasons at Penn State, notched two sacks in his Kenan Stadium debut, highlighting the physicality and speed he brings to a UNC defense that's off to a strong start it hopes to carry into ACC play, beginning this weekend at Clemson.Â
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Whether he lined up with his hand in the dirt as he did on his first takedown or stood upright as he did on his second sack, Harvey showed why UNC outside linebackers coach Ty Nichols is bullish on his ability to complement 2025 Second Team All-ACC Selection Melkart Abou Jaoude.Â
"One of the most electric players I've been around off the edge," Nichols said of Harvey.Â
Harvey ran stunts on interior linemen, timed snap counts and illustrated how it's a fool's errand to try to pull your center around to the edge to block him. His presence was felt even when he couldn't get to the quarterback, as he hurried ETSU's Mason Mims and forced him into throwing an interception on the game's opening drive.Â
At Penn State, Harvey played as a traditional defensive end, but Nichols said the Tar Heel coaching staff sees him as more of an outside linebacker.Â
"His role has become more versatile than it was at Penn State, and it's been fun to coach him up on that," Nichols said.Â
When meeting with players in the transfer portal, Nichols said he's trying to figure out if "you like being a football or player or you like what comes with being a football player."Â
"With Jaylen, we knew what kind of competitor he was," Nichols said. "On tape, you saw he wasn't scared of contact. He played hard and has a high motor."Â
The same can be said of other newcomers in the Tar Heels' defensive front seven. Â
Syracuse transfer Derek McDonald, one of UNC's seven captains, impressed in the season-opening win with his team-high 11 tackles against TCU, earning him ACC linebacker of the week honors.Â
Against ETSU it was fellow linebacker Peyton Seelmann's turn to lead the Tar Heels in tackles with 10, and he also forced a fumble on ETSU's first offensive play of the second half, which the Tar Heels recovered.Â
The likes of Seelmann, McDonald and Harvey have slotted in well with returnees in the front seven, including Abou Jaoude and interior defensive linemen redshirt sophomore Leroy Jackson and redshirt senior Isaiah Johnson. Sophomore Xavier Lewis has also quickly emerged as a force up front with four sacks, and linebacker Jonathan Agumadu has already topped his tackle total from last season.Â
Through two contests, UNC is giving up just 6.5 points per game, and the Tar Heels held opponents scoreless for 89 minutes of game play from the second quarter of the TCU game to just past the 4:00 mark of the fourth quarter against ETSU, when the Buccaneers kicked a field goal.Â
Seelmann described the Tar Heel defense as a "blue-collar operation."Â
"I feel like that starts with our leaders: Derek McDonald, Zay Johnson." Seelmann said. "Those guys are getting us in the right mindset, hyping us up and getting us ready to go play. It's fun to play for those guys."Â
When McDonald reflected earlier this month on the victory over TCU in which the Tar Heels made multiple fourth-down stands, he said it gave him and his teammates confidence to know that they can win a game with defense.Â
As league play begins, there could more opportunities to do the same.Â
"We know what we can do," McDonald said.Â
