The transfer portal has been a long and windy road for multiple prospects in multiple sports. Over the past two years, however, it has become the main recruiting area for most college coaches looking for impact players.
Look no further than former UNC football running back [autotag]Ty Chandler[/autotag]. The Tennessee running back transferred to North Carolina for the 2021 season and had a breakout year.
Chandler rushed for 1,092 yards with 13 touchdowns in his lone season at UNC and put himself in line for a selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
And with hard work comes reward as he was taken in the fifth round by the Minnesota Vikings.
Chandler discussed his decision to transfer and the lessons he learned along the way with Vikings.com.
“It has taught me a lot,” Chandler said. “It has taught me the beauty of hard work and just speaking stuff into existence and watching stuff come to fruition. It has been a grind, it has been a process, but I feel like with every step I’ve just gotten better along the way and met great people along the way that are willing to help and continue to push me toward that success. So I’m grateful for everybody I’ve crossed paths with and everybody who has helped me benefit and gain success on the field. So it has truly been a blessing, making transitions and like I said meeting new people and getting a chance to play with new people and learn from other individuals.”
Prior to his lone season at UNC, Chandler had totaled just 2,046 yards in four seasons at Tennessee. He also had 13 combined touchdowns in his Tennessee career — the same total he had in his one season in Chapel Hill.
Chandler heads to the Vikings with the opportunity to learn after one of the best young running backs in the game, Dalvin Cook. There is also potential for early playing time due to the injury history Cook has seen in his early career.
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