Tar Heel NFL Check-In: Top Performances from Preseason Week Three

The NFL preseason wrapped up this weekend with its final slate of games. Multiple former UNC players had an impact in those contests.

NFL teams have until Tuesday afternoon to make their preseason roster cuts, trimming down to the league-mandated roster size of 53 players. Here’s a further look into some of the standout Tar Heel performances from the final week of the NFL preseason.

Bryson Nesbit Hauls in Touchdown

The rangy Nesbit had hopes of becoming an NFL draft pick following a productive career at Carolina. He spent four seasons with the Tar Heels, earning All-ACC first team honors as a junior and All-ACC honorable mention the year prior. Nesbit was named to the Mackey Award Watch Last in the preseason last year, the annual award handed out to the nation’s best tight end. 

But following an up-and-down senior season — a year in which Nesbit recorded the fewest catches (24), receiving yards (264) and touchdowns (three) since his freshman season — he went undrafted and signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. Nesbit has appeared in all three games this preseason for the Vikings, and he had his most impactful performance in the the finale against the Tennessee Titans. He finished with two catches for 45 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown grab midway through the third quarter.

That score saw Nesbit beat the Titans underneath with a quick crossing route, before racing away from a diving tackle and into the end zone. On the Vikings’ official depth chart, Nesbit is listed as one of two options on the third-team, alongside fellow rookie tight end Ben Yurosek.

Chazz Surratt Leads 49ers in Tackles, Jumps on Muffed Punt

It’s been an uneven professional career for the quarterback-turned-linebacker Surratt. The Minnesota Vikings selected Surratt in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He went on to spend just one season with the Vikings, before getting waived in August 2022. Surratt then spent three years with the New York Jets, where he mostly played on special teams, before signing with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this year.

Surratt was all over the field in the 49ers’ final preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night. He racked up a team-high 11 tackles, including six solo takedowns. Surratt also recovered a muffed punt late in the fourth quarter, setting up San Francisco with prime field position inside the red zone. The 49ers would cash in that opportunity, scoring a touchdown two plays later. 

Sizeable Snap Counts for Kaimon Rucker, Jahavree Ritzie

Rucker and Ritzie both signed free agent deals after going undrafted in this year’s NFL Draft. Rucker initially earned an invite to the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie minicamp in April, before signing a deal with the Baltimore Ravens one month later. And he has seen consistent playing time this preseason, playing at least 27 snaps in all three games. He capped off the preseason playing 35 snaps against the Washington Commanders on Saturday, and contributed two tackles in Baltimore’s blowout win.

Ritzie signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots. He received his heaviest workload in New England’s preseason finale, logging 33 snaps against the New York Giants. That playing time was more than what Ritzie saw in the first two preseason games combined (28 snaps). Ritzie provided two tackles and one quarterback hurry for the Patriots on Thursday.

Cedric Gray Continues Starting Push

Gray again earned the starting nod at linebacker for the Tennessee Titans. And for the second straight week, Gray led Tennessee in tackles. He recorded five tackles against the Vikings on Friday, including three solo takedowns. That was tied for a team-best output with Mike Brown. 

Gray’s competing for the starting linebacker spot with James Williams Sr. It’s a competition that’s still ongoing, and a role for which Gray is making a strong case here in the preseason, according to Titans’ reporter Jim Wyatt. Gray was limited as a rookie last season, appearing in just three games, and battled a nerve-related shoulder injury that placed him on injury reserve to start the year.