Although the Tar Heels won 31-17 over South Carolina in the Dukes Mayo Classic on Saturday night, Drake Maye was still fired up over Tez Walker's inability to play due to the NCAA's new transfer rule.

“He lives five or 10 minutes from here, grew up in Charlotte,” said Maye after the game. “We love Tez. He's an awesome dude, and it's a shame what's happened.”

Walker joined HBCU North Carolina Central in 2019 after a knee injury delayed his plans to attend East Tennessee State. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the football season, preventing the Eagles from taking the field in Spring 2021. Walker then transferred to Kent State, where he played for two seasons.

During his time with the Golden Flashes, he showcased his skills with an impressive stat line of 63 receptions for 1,045 yards and 12 touchdowns. In his sophomore season, he excelled with 58 catches for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns. His performance earned him a spot on the 2023 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, which recognizes the most outstanding receiver in FBS at the end of the season.

Tez Walker wanted to transfer to the University of North Carolina to be closer to family but the NCAA denied his transfer due to the new transfer rule instituted by the NCAA in March. NCAA implemented stricter regulations on player transfers, particularly for second-time transfers seeking immediate eligibility with a new team. According to the new rule, a player can only be granted eligibility if their transfer is due to a physical or mental health condition. Walker wrote a letter to the NCAA about why he wanted to transfer and it was posted on UNC football's Twitter account.

“The first, and main, reason I decided to transfer from Kent St. was the stress and anxiety I was feeling being away from home, while my grandmother deals with health issues,” he said in a portion of his letter. “She is my rock, my everything, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her…It’s meant the world to us to be in the same area, where she’s just a short drive away and I have far more opportunities to be with her. There is also the added bonus that she would be able to see me play college football in person for the first time since she wasn’t able to travel during my time at Kent St.”

Many spoke up in support of Walker playing this year, including North Carolina Governor and UNC grad Roy Cooper. However, the NCAA still denied Walker's request, forcing him to sit out this season.