University of North Carolina Athletics
Three Tar Heels Selected In Second Round Of NFL Draft
April 29, 2011 | Football
April 29, 2011
Chapel Hill, N.C. - North Carolina linebacker Bruce Carter, defensive tackle Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little were selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft Friday evening. Carter was taken 40th overall by Dallas, Austin was selected 52nd by the New York Giants and Cleveland landed Little with the 59th overall selection.
With defensive end Robert Quinn going in the first round (14th, St. Louis), this marks the first time UNC has had four players selected in the first two rounds of the draft.
Carter is an outstanding athlete with ability to make plays all over the field. He started 43 career games before missing the last two games of his senior season with a torn ACL. In 2010, he was named one of five finalists for the Butkus Award and finished with 57 tackles in 10 games.
"It was great feeling to get that call from (Dallas owner) Jerry Jones," said Carter, who watched the draft at home in Havelock, N.C. "My mom was so excited, people were screaming and I could barely hear him. He told me he was thrilled to pick me and excited about what I could bring to the team."
Not only an outstanding linebacker, Carter was an important player on special teams, blocking seven career kicks, including six punts. Prior to his senior season, he was ranked No. 1 in ESPN.com's 2010 workout warrior list. He set the record for a UNC linebacker with a power clean of 374 and a vertical jump of 40.5 inches. He also benches 440 pounds, squats 605 pounds and has been clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.39.
"I learned so much at North Carolina and from Coach Davis," continued Carter. "I learned how to become a man, to take responsibility for my actions and how to become a leader."
Austin was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2010. He played in all 13 games and made 12 starts, finishing with 42 tackles, 6.0 tackles for losses, four sacks, three pass breakups, six quarterback pressures, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
In New York, Austin will be teamed with former Tar Heels Hakeem Nicks and Madison Hedgecock.
"It was a little tough watching the names go by ahead of me, but I got excited when it was the Giants pick, because they met with me three times at the combine and I knew they were interested," said Austin. "I'm just thankful for this opportunity, to go to a place where they want me and I can flourish. I know Coach Coughlin is a no-nonsense type of coach and he believes I'm a good guy who can help their football team. I'm so proud to be a New York Giant."
"I spent quite a few minutes on the phone with him prior to telling him we would be drafting him in the second round and that there were some very, very high expectations for him if he was to come here and be a New York Giant," said New York head coach Tom Coughlin. "He has an opportunity now to show the world what he can do and hopefully package all the energy and disappointment and motivation based on the fact that he did not play this last year. Hopefully, he'll wrap all that up and come here and be the football player we think he can be."
Austin and Little did not play last year after it was determined they had violated NCAA agent and extra benefit rules.
Little, a native of Durham, N.C., is a versatile athlete who was arguably UNC's most consistent offensive player in 2009. He started all 13 games and posted a team-high 62 catches for 724 yards and five touchdowns that year. His 62 catches are the fifth-highest single-season mark in school history.
"It felt good to hear my name," said Little. "I'm just ready to play again. I learned a tremendous amount about how to deal with success and just being able to deal with such an adverse time, I think I've grown from it. A lot of my morals and values have changed so much just from sitting out that year. I'm just so hungry to get back and play."
Little is the fourth North Carolina wide receiver taken in the last three NFL drafts. Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster were all picked in the 2009 draft. Little is the first Tar Heel chosen by Cleveland since Bill Jackson in 1982.
