University of North Carolina Athletics
Four Tar Heels Sign NFL Free Agent Contracts
May 3, 2006 | Football
May 3, 2006
Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- Four University of North Carolina football players, including quarterback Matt Baker, defensive end Tommy Davis, cornerback Cedrick Holt and offensive guard Kyle Ralph, have signed free agent contracts with NFL teams since the draft concluded on Sunday evening.
A first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection in 2005, Ralph signed with NFC Champion Seattle and will report for mini-camp, May 5-7. Ralph started 23 consecutive games in 2004 and 2005 and was one of the Tar Heels' most consistent performers on the offensive line. Ralph was named the No. 10 guard in the country by The Sporting News and was a third-team All-America selection by Rivals.com as a senior. He was a second-team All-ACC pick in 2004.
Baker signed with the Houston Texans after a solid senior campaign in 2005. In just one season as a starter, he completed 180 of 346 attemps (.520) for 2,345 yards and nine touchdowns. His 2,345 passing yards were the fourth-highest single-season total in school history and his 2,311 total offensive yards were the fifth-highest total in single-season school history.
Davis signed with New Orleans after starting three seasons at defensive end. He earned honorable-mention All-ACC honors in 2005 and led the Tar Heels with 10 tackles for losses and eight sacks. His eight sacks were the most by a Tar Heel since Julius Peppers had 9.5 in 2001.
Cornerback Cedrick Holt inked a free agent deal with the Tennessee Titans. Holt had an outstanding season in 2005 with 59 tackles, six tackles for losses, two interceptions and a team-high 10 pass break ups. He was second in the ACC in pass breakups and third in passes defended.
Carolina had 28 players in the NFL last season, which ranked 12th in the country. Only FSU and Miami had more NFL players among ACC schools. Three Tar Heels - TB Willie Parker, DS Greg Warren and PK Jeff Reed - won a Super Bowl title as members of the Pittsburgh Steelers last year.
LIST OF NFL PLAYERS IN 2005 (28)
Sam Aiken, Buffalo
Ethan Albright, Washington
Dre' Bly, Detroit
Jason Brown, Baltimore
Alge Crumpler, Atlanta
Ronald Curry, Oakland
Russell Davis, Arizona (now with Seattle)
Ebenezer Ekuban, Denver
Greg Ellis, Dallas
Madison Hedgecock, St. Louis
William Henderson, Green Bay
Zach Hilton, New Orleans
Sedrick Hodge, New Orleans (now with Miami)
Vonnie Holliday, Miami
Keith Newman, Minnesota
Willie Parker, Pittsburgh
Julius Peppers, Carolina
Jeff Reed, Pittsburgh
Dexter Reid, Indianapolis
Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis
Jonas Seawright, New York Giants
Gerald Sensabaugh, Jacksonville
rian Simmons, Cincinnati
Ryan Sims, Kansas City
Jeb Terry, Tampa Bay
David Thornton, Indianapolis (now with Tennessee)
Michael Waddell, Tennessee
racey Walker, Detroit
Greg Warren, Pittsburgh
