University of North Carolina Athletics
Three Tar Heels Chosen On Day Two Of NFL Draft
April 26, 2009 | Football
April 26, 2009
Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- Three University of North Carolina football players were selected on day two of the 2009 NFL Draft, including wide receiver Brandon Tate in the third round and offensive tackle Garrett Reynolds and wide receiver Brooks Foster in the fifth round. Carolina had five players selected in this year's draft, tying with Maryland for the most in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It was the most draftees for UNC since six Tar Heels were chosen in 2002.
Tate was picked by New England with the 83rd overall pick. Despite missing seven games last year after suffering a knee injury vs. Notre Dame, Tate finished his career as the NCAA's career leader in combined kick return yardage. The Burlington, N.C., native had 16 catches for 376 yards and three touchdowns in 2008. In the first game of the season vs. McNeese State, Tate set a school record with 397 all-purpose yards.
Atlanta made Reynolds the 156th overall pick in the fifth round. Reynolds started 32 games at UNC and earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors in 2008.
"I was a little surprised, because I did not have an individual workout with them, but I remember they liked me at the combine," said Reynolds, who watched the draft from his Knoxville, Tenn., home. "I was just laying on the floor stretching out, nodding off a little because I had been watching the draft for so long. All of a sudden my cell phone vibrated and I ran in the kitchen to talk to the general manager. While I was on the phone, I heard my family yelling and screaming in the other room when it came on TV.
"I'm pumped. I'm coming back to Chapel Hill for a presentation and paper that are due this week and then I'll be heading to mini-camp."
Foster became the third Tar Heel picked in this year's draft when St. Louis chose him in the fifth round. The Boiling Springs, S.C., native had 97 catches for 1,237 yards and six touchdowns during his Carolina career.
