North Carolina Football: Top 3 All-ACC candidates for 2020

1. Chazz Surratt, Linebacker

Chazz Surratt is the leader on the Tar Heels’ defense and one of the top linebackers in the ACC. He led the team in tackles with 115, which was the second most in the conference, and finished second in ACC Defensive Player of the Year voting to Isiah Simmons.

The craziest thing about Chazz is that last season was his first time playing linebacker. He was recruited as a quarterback and got time starting in 2018 and struggled. Prior to last season with Sam Howell coming in, Chazz decided to switch over to the defense and play linebacker.

There’s a video made by UNC Athletics titled “The Transformation of Chazz Surratt” where his coaches praised his ability to no end. Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman said of Chazz’s ceiling, “I think he can play football in the NFL for a long time.”

The thought of being viewed as the second-best player to a generational talent in Simmons in your first year playing a position is kinda crazy.

Surratt has some incredible athletic ability to be able to make that shift. With a whole offseason to dedicate time to learning the position better, there’s scary upside for this kid.

Get used to hearing his name if you plan on watching Carolina football this fall. If he backs up what he did last year he could skyrocket up the draft board and we could be hearing his name called early on in the 2021 NFL Draft.