North Carolina starting QB projections 2024: Who will be Mack Brown's QB1?

Mack Brown will enter the sixth year of his second stint at North Carolina in the 2024 season. He previously coached the team for 10 years from 1988 through the 1997 season.

Brown's last major championship came in 2022 when he led the Tar Heels to the ACC Coastal Division title. His next target will be to wrap up the conference title in the upcoming season and he needs a starting quarterback who matches that ambition.

Predicting Mack Brown's starting quarterback at North Carolina in 2024

North Carolina HC Mack Brown (Source: Imagn)

As things stand, Max Johnson is expected to get the nod as the starting quarterback at North Carolina for the 2024 season. The signal-caller is also going to represent the Tar Heels at the team's media day on Thursday along with coach Mack Brown.

Johnson transferred to North Carolina this offseason and will enter his fifth season of college football in 2024. Johnson began his career with LSU in 2020 and spent two seasons with the Tigers before transferring to Texas A&M in 2022.

Across four seasons of college football, Johnson has racked up 5,853 passing yards and 47 touchdowns. He also has five rushing touchdowns across 30 appearances.

Johnson brings several years of experience at the collegiate level heading into his first season at North Carolina. Furthermore, this could be his final year before declaring for the NFL draft, and hence, the quarterback will want to boost his draft stock heading into his pro career.

Meanwhile, Jacoby Criswell is expected to serve as Johnson's backup in 2024. Conner Harrell is tipped as the third-choice quarterback at North Carolina. Last season, Drake Maye was the starting quarterback for North Carolina. However, he entered the 2024 NFL draft, where the New England Patriots selected him with the No. 3 pick.

Nonetheless, as North Carolina has a new starting quarterback in 2024, coach Brown will want to get off to a winning start when his team hosts Minnesota on August 29.