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Julius peppers unc8/23/2023 ![]() Such was lofty praise, especially as the usual microcriticisms that are a hallmark of the NFL Draft were applied to Peppers. But at this moment, there's no question that Ryan is a more complete player than Julius." "I tell them that plays leading to negative yardage are big, and a pass rusher like Julius can create a lot of them. " People ask me all the time who I would draft if I could pick between Julius and Ryan," North Carolina head coach John Bunting told Sports Illustrated in 2002. Sure enough, Sims would become a prospective high draft pick: One that earned an astounding endorsement from his head coach. He was also named both an All-American and a First-Team All-ACC selection. He ended up with a total of 11 sacks between his junior and senior years, and showed a penchant for big performances in big games, such as a 2001 Peach Bowl triumph where he would earn Defensive MVP honors. As Peppers had 63 tackles and 9.5 sacks in his last year at UNC in 2001, Sims was not far behind with 51 tackles and five sacks. ![]() Sims, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, had become a star at UNC by emerging out of Peppers' shadow to become one of the team's top defensive players. Compared to his fellow Tar Heel, Ryan Sims' NFL career could not have been more different. But ultimately, Sims' name did not end up being exalted in the way Peppers' has by the time his playing career came to an end. ![]() 2-overall by the Carolina Panthers, and his teammate in defensive tackle Ryan Sims.Īs Peppers has brought his NFL career to a close after 17 seasons, he has received most every salutation a great NFL player can receive - Most notably the label of a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. But no UNC players were more significant than the ones who would become the top two defensive linemen taken in that year's draft: Peppers, who was drafted No. The 2002 NFL Draft was a good one to be a UNC product, as seven total Tar Heels would be chosen by NFL teams. With the brilliant NFL career of Julius Peppers now in the past, a tale of two defensive linemen out of the University of North Carolina has reached its conclusion.
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