Continuing the countdown: UNT football team's top 20 players

UNT countdown 15-11 North Texas wide receiver Damon Ward Jr. carries the ball during the Mean Green’s loss to Miami (Ohio) in the Frisco Football Classic in 2021. The Denton Record-Chronicle is offering high school sports fans a chance to read all of our content, not just sports, for $1 per month. Sign up here: dentonrc.com/subscribe-now/sports-offer/ North Texas faces a host of questions heading into its first season under coach Eric Morris. How the Mean Green’s defense will shape up is one of the more intriguing. UNT is moving to a 3-3-5 scheme under new coordinator Matt Caponi and spent the spring seeing how its players fit into the system. Morris has said UNT has some work to do over the next few years to mold the roster to fit the system the Mean Green are set to run. While UNT has to reach that point, it has found new spots for several of its key returning players. A few of those veterans enter our annual countdown of the top players on UNT’s roster in today’s second installment of the series. 15. Fatafehi Vailea, defensive tackle Vailea was productive last season when he finished with 44 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in addition to forcing a fumble. He was named to the All-Conference USA Freshman Team in his redshirt season. Vailea should be even better this fall after gaining experience. He will have to adjust to playing in a three-man front but is more than capable of making the transition. 14. Roderick Brown, defensive tackle Brown was the anchor for UNT’s defense last season as the Mean Green’s noseguard. The 6-foot, 275-pound junior posted 40 tackles and four sacks while commanding double teams all year. Pro Football Network named Brown to its All-C-USA second team. The former North Forney standout is expect to return to the nose tackle spot in the three-man front in our depth chart projection. UNT is counting on Brown to come through, despite being undersized. He was an effective player for UNT last season. The Mean Green will depend on him to come through again, this time in a new system. 13. Damon Ward, wide receiver Ward was overshadowed by some of UNT’s other wide receivers last season, including Jyaire Shorter, but enjoyed a productive year in 2022. The junior started nine games and finished with 26 catches for 378 yards and three touchdowns. Ward is poised to take on a larger role this fall after Shorter transferred to Auburn. UNT also lost two key tight ends who played key roles in the passing game after last season in Var’Keyes Gumms and Jake Roberts. Ward has started 17 games the last two years combined. The combination of experience and opportunity presents Ward with the chance for a breakout season. 12. Kevin Wood, linebacker Wood has started games in each of the last four seasons and is back for a fifth year with the Mean Green. The senior is poised to start after splitting time with Larry Nixon III last season. Nixon joined Shorter in transferring to Auburn. Wood was highly productive despite playing in just nine games and making six starts. He finished with 55 tackles, a sack and an interception. The former Converse Judson standout is poised to help lead UNT’s defense this fall. 11. Febechi Nwaiwu, offensive lineman Nwaiwu was named to multiple Freshman All-American teams last season, when he started 12 games at guard. The former Coppell standout walked on at UNT after the COVID-19 pandemic limited his exposure to college recruiters. He has blossomed since and moved to tackle in spring practice. UNT’s coaches and fellow offensive linemen were impressed with the quickness and agility Nwaiwu showed on the edge at 326 pounds. It’s not a matter of if Nwaiwu will start, but where he ends up, at tackle or guard. He’ll be not only one of UNT’s top offensive linemen but also one of its top players overall wherever he lands.