University of North Carolina Athletics
Richards Selected By Cowboys In Fifth Round
April 29, 2023 | Football
KANSAS CITY - University of North Carolina offensive lineman Asim Richards was selected 169th overall in the fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2023 NFL Draft. Richards is the 30th North Carolina offensive tackle selected and the 249th Tar Heel chosen in the NFL Draft.
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"I couldn't be more excited to be a Cowboy," said Richards. "I've worked hard to achieve this dream, but I can't stop now because I want to have a long and successful career. I appreciate the Cowboys showing their faith in me and I won't let them down. I have to thank my family and friends for all of their support. You mean the world to me. I want to thank all of the people at UNC for helping me become a better person and player during my time in Chapel Hill. It really has been an amazing experience. Now, it's on to the next chapter and I'm ready to get to Dallas and get back to work."
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"We're thrilled for Asim and his family," said UNC head coach Mack Brown. "Asim was a key piece of our initial recruiting class when returned to Chapel Hill and he's just gotten better and better during his career. He started 38 of his last 39 games for us, which shows how reliable and dependable he's been. It's been fun watching him grow as a player and a person, and we think he has a bright future ahead of him. The Cowboys got a good one and I can't wait to watch him play on Sundays."
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Richards made 38 starts over the course of his career while playing over 2,500 snaps. He earned third-team All-ACC honors in 2022 after he played 1,049 snaps at left tackle and allowed only three sacks while starting all 14 games for the Tar Heels.
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In 2022, Richards blocked for an offense that averaged 309.3 yards passing per game (11th NCAA/2nd ACC), 462.8 total yards per game (19th NCAA/2nd ACC) and 34.4 points per game (26th NCAA/3rd ACC). He started all 13 games as a junior in 2021 and started 11 of 12 games as a sophomore in 2020. The 2020 offensive unit was one of the nation's best, setting a school record for total yards per game (537.3) and ranking ninth nationally in scoring at 41.7 points per game.
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For up-to-date information on Carolina Football and the 2023 Spring Game, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@UNCFootball), Instagram (@uncfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
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"I couldn't be more excited to be a Cowboy," said Richards. "I've worked hard to achieve this dream, but I can't stop now because I want to have a long and successful career. I appreciate the Cowboys showing their faith in me and I won't let them down. I have to thank my family and friends for all of their support. You mean the world to me. I want to thank all of the people at UNC for helping me become a better person and player during my time in Chapel Hill. It really has been an amazing experience. Now, it's on to the next chapter and I'm ready to get to Dallas and get back to work."
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"We're thrilled for Asim and his family," said UNC head coach Mack Brown. "Asim was a key piece of our initial recruiting class when returned to Chapel Hill and he's just gotten better and better during his career. He started 38 of his last 39 games for us, which shows how reliable and dependable he's been. It's been fun watching him grow as a player and a person, and we think he has a bright future ahead of him. The Cowboys got a good one and I can't wait to watch him play on Sundays."
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Richards made 38 starts over the course of his career while playing over 2,500 snaps. He earned third-team All-ACC honors in 2022 after he played 1,049 snaps at left tackle and allowed only three sacks while starting all 14 games for the Tar Heels.
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In 2022, Richards blocked for an offense that averaged 309.3 yards passing per game (11th NCAA/2nd ACC), 462.8 total yards per game (19th NCAA/2nd ACC) and 34.4 points per game (26th NCAA/3rd ACC). He started all 13 games as a junior in 2021 and started 11 of 12 games as a sophomore in 2020. The 2020 offensive unit was one of the nation's best, setting a school record for total yards per game (537.3) and ranking ninth nationally in scoring at 41.7 points per game.
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For up-to-date information on Carolina Football and the 2023 Spring Game, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@UNCFootball), Instagram (@uncfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
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Players Mentioned
Offensive Line
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