There’s been a lot of great football players who spent their college years at the prestigious University of North Carolina, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
One guy that comes to the forefront is 3-time Pro Bowler Robert Quinn, who played at UNC in 2008 and 2009. At age 33, Quinn is a 3-time Pro Bowler, a 1-time NFL forced fumbles co-leader and a 2013 First-Team All-Pro.
If you dig back into the 1900’s, however, you’re going to find the greatest defensive player to ever don a Tar Heel Football uniform.
That man goes by the name of Lawrence Taylor, the 1980 ACC Player of the Year, who was recently named to the 33rd Team’s best all-time NFL front seven.
Taylor, the New York Giants’ second overall pick back in 1981, is a member of the prestigious Pro Football Hall of Fame. He has a list of professional accolades that could write a whole chapter – the Giants’ all-time sack leader (142), 2-time Super Bowl champion, NFL MVP (1986), 3-time NFL defensive Player of the Year, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, 8-time First Team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, NFL sack leader (1986), just to name a few.
“His dominance on the line forced offenses to turn protection to whichever side Taylor was on,” longtime NFL and collegiate coach Dave Wannstedt told Giants Now. “Coordinators wanted to make sure you got a big offensive lineman blocking L.T. rather than running the opposite way and expecting a running back to block him. That’s what most teams did. When L.T. was on the field, you must use the lineman to him to give you the best chance to slow him down.”
Taylor joined current NFL great Aaron Donald and historic greats Ray Lewis, Derrick Brooks, Junior Seau, Reggie White, Joe Greene, on Wannstedt’s All-Time Front 7.
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