Best NFL career by a UNC player

[WhatTheHeel?]

For basketball, it's easy--Michael Jordan, followed by a lot of other long and successful careers in the NBA.

What UNC player has had the best NFL career? I guess the two names that come up first in my mind are Lawrence Taylor and Julius Peppers. On offense, Algae Crumpler had a good career and Jeff Saturday had a long career. Who are some other candidates--maybe if you were doing a Mount Rushmore of UNC careers in the NFL?

Note: I did see that Amos Lawrence won a Super Bowl with the San Diego Chargers, but don't know how his career went.

 

[tarheel0910]

Dre Bly had a solid career. He was named to an all-pro team and was a pro-bowler twice. Natrone Means was named to an all-pro team and a pro-bowler once.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

I think you have to go LT at #1 with his 2 super bowl rings, 10x pro bowl, 8x First Team All-Pro. He edges out Julius who doesn't have a ring and 9x Pro Bowl and 3x First Team All-Pro. Jeff Saturday would be third for me.

Maybe Mitch's career will live up to LT and Julius who were both #2 overall picks before him. Time will tell.

Bill Belichick raves about LT all the time, pretty much the only guy you can get him to get all giddy talking about. He's said before that he's the best player he ever coached.

 

[WoadBlue]

Some names off hand I did not see above

Chris Hanburger
Brian Blados
Ken Willard

 

[Archer2]

LT
Jeff Saturday
Julius Peppers

 

[midline]

NFL.... Lawrence Taylor. Not even close. Still recognized by many as the greatest defensive player to ever play the game. He is on a list of one when it comes to this thread. Better debate would be who is second?

 

[uncboy10]

LT is first, no question about it. Greatest player ever on that side of the ball.

Second would have to be Peppers. Saturday is up there too

 

[TarHeelMark]

LT











... then the rest.

 

[ticket2ride04]

LT
Jeff Saturday
Julius Peppers

You have Saturday over Peppers?

 

[WoadBlue]

NFL.... Lawrence Taylor. Not even close. Still recognized by many as the greatest defensive player to ever play the game. He is on a list of one when it comes to this thread. Better debate would be who is second?

Many years ago when I watched a number of NFL games, I recall some announcer (but not which one) who said LT was great, of course, but that Harry Carson made LT look better than he was.

Some people are handsomely paid to be stupider than rocks.

 

[KOOL123]

LT changed the way the game was played...

 

[KOOL123]

 

[WoadBlue]

View embedded media

That's a nice short clip.

Those of you who did not get to see LT play in Carolina Blue missed something well beyond a treat.

 

[midline]

Many years ago when I watched a number of NFL games, I recall some announcer (but not which one) who said LT was great, of course, but that Harry Carson made LT look better than he was.

Some people are handsomely paid to be stupider than rocks.

Carson was good, but I would venture to say that Carson's carrer was elevated more by Taylor's presence on the field than vice-versa.

 

[strummingram]

One of my all-time favorite players, he's also in the NFL HOF

I used to have a Jr. All-Pro kids Redskins helmet and jersey with #55

In Super Bowl VII

 

[strummingram]

Kelvin Bryant

 

[notashelbyfan]

 

[heelmanwilm]

Some others who had good nfl careers off top of my head

Natrone means
Alge crumpler
William henderson
Ronald curry
Ethan horton
Hakeem nicks

But yea LT head and shoulders above all. I was at unc when he played. He called his own number and blitzed clemson’s homer jordan on i think 3rd and goal to help seal unc’s last acc championship. The greatest unc game i ever attended

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

I can't argue with anyone who said LT. I don't follow the NFL too closely outside of the Steelers and I honestly forget where some of the Heels end up. I do hope to see Trubisky have a great career. He's the one who made me think about the question I posted. I would really love to see him on the Steelers when Ben retires (assuming he continues to grow and improve.)

It was good to see some familiar names I'd forgotten about. I'm embarrassed to say I totally forgot about Kelvin Bryant. If I recall correctly, in college he had fifteen touchdowns in the first three games, had two more against Georgia Tech in the fourth game, but got injured and missed the rest (?) of the season.