Former North Carolina offensive lineman Zach Rice transfers to Syracuse
Former UNC offensive lineman Zach Rice has transferred to Syracuse. Rice was rated as a five-star prospect in the Class of 2022. Leonardo Eriman | Assistant Video Editor
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Former North Carolina interior offensive lineman Zach Rice has transferred to Syracuse, 247Sports reported Wednesday. Rice is a former five-star recruit, who has two years of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot-5, 305 pound guard is a native of Lynchburg, Virginia. In the 2022 recruiting class, 247Sports rated Rice as the No. 20 overall prospect, No. 2 overall offensive lineman and top recruit in Virginia. He chose North Carolina over offers from top programs such as Alabama, Ohio State and Texas.
Rice appeared sparingly as a freshman, making 12 appearances, primarily on special teams. This season, he played in UNC’s first six games. North Carolina fired Mack Brown in November before hiring legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick a month later. Though Rice stuck with the Tar Heels initially, he entered the transfer portal on April 16.
Rice is a massive addition to Syracuse’s offensive line. On Tuesday, the Orange added former South Carolina offensive lineman Kam Pringle, who was the top available offensive lineman in the portal. The additions helped bolster SU’s line after it lost experienced linemen David Wohlabaugh Jr. and Enrique Cruz Jr. in the transfer portal earlier this spring. Rice could start alongside Pringle, helping protect SU’s starting quarterback next year.
