Former North Carolina football legends Lawrence Taylor, Julius Peppers and Charlie Justice were all named to ESPN's list of the 150 greatest players in the history of college football, created for the 150th anniversary of the sport.
Nominees were selected by a panel of media members, college administrators and former coaches and players. Selections spanned across 111 seasons and came from 51 colleges and universities.
Keep reading for more on the three UNC legends.
42. Lawrence Taylor (linebacker, 1977-80)
Taylor’s first two seasons were riddled with injuries while he split his time between inside linebacker and nose guard. But when he was moved to outside linebacker at the beginning of his junior season, he flourished, setting a school record of 16 sacks and totaling 69 tackles.
That season, the Tar Heels went 11-1 and won their last ACC title in 1980, while Taylor was a unanimous All-American and ACC Player of the Year. By the end of his career, he had tallied 21 sacks, 33 tackles for loss and 192 tackles.
Taylor went on to play for the New York Giants from 1981-1993 as a No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. He then became a two-time Super Bowl champion and 10-time Pro Bowler.
104. Julius Peppers (defensive end, 1999-2001)
Peppers was a dual threat during his collegiate career. He led the FBS in sacks in 2000 — and also played 56 career games for UNC’s basketball program.
