University of North Carolina Athletics
Four Tar Heels Taken In Third Day Of NFL Draft
April 29, 2017 | Football
PHILADELPHIA, PA. – Four University of North Carolina Tar Heels were selected on the third day of the 2017 NFL Draft Saturday afternoon.
Wide receiver Mack Hollins was selected by Philadelphia in the fourth round (118th overall), wide receiver Ryan Switzer went to Dallas in the fourth round (133rd overall), tailback T.J. Logan was taken by Arizona in the fifth round (179th overall) and tailback Elijah Hood was picked by Oakland in the seventh round (242nd overall).
Including first-rounder Mitch Trubisky and third round selection Nazair Jones, Carolina had six players picked in the 2017 draft, which tied Clemson for most in the Atlantic Coast Conference and ranked eighth nationally. It is the highest total for UNC since nine players were taken in 2011.
“I'm excited for our guys to start a new chapter in their lives,” said head coach Larry Fedora. “It's an exciting time for Carolina football and it's further proof that you can achieve all your hopes and dreams by playing football in Chapel Hill. Not only are these good football players, but they are special young men. We look forward to following these guys as they become professionals.”
HOLLINS HEADED TO PHILADELPHIA
A native of Rockville, Md., Hollins came to Carolina as a walk-on and finished his career as one of the top receivers in school history. He led the NCAA in yards per reception (24.8 avg.) as a junior and set the UNC career record for yards per reception (20.6 avg.). Hollins finished his career with 81 receptions for 1,667 yards and 20 touchdowns. His 20 touchdown receptions rank third all-time at UNC.
In addition to his standout play as a wide receiver, Hollins first made a name for himself on special teams, becoming the special teams captain as a freshman. He never relinquished that role and is the first four-time special teams captain in school history.
Unfortunately, Hollins' senior season was cut short when he fractured his clavicle in a 20-13 win at No. 16 Miami (seventh game of the season). His had 16 catches for 309 yards (19.3 avg.) as a senior.
During his junior campaign, Hollins was named to the media's All-ACC second team and third team by the league's coaches. He made 30 catches for a team-high 745 yards and eight touchdowns.
Hollins graduated in May 2016 with a degree in exercise and sport science and was enrolled in graduate school last season.
COWBOYS TAKE SWITZER IN FOURTH ROUND
A two-time All-America return man who was a consistent threat in the passing game during his UNC career, Switzer set UNC records for career receptions (244), career receiving yards (2,907), career punt return yards (1,082), career punt return touchdowns (7) and single-season receptions (96 in 2016).
A native of Charleston, W.Va., Switzer graduated in May with a degree in exercise and sport science.
As a senior in 2016, Switzer led the team with 96 catches for 1,112 yards (third-best single season at UNC) and finished third in the ACC in receptions per game. He tied the UNC single-game record with 16 receptions in a win over Pitt and then established an ACC record for catches in back-to-back games with 14 at Florida State a week later.
Switzer ranks sixth in ACC history in punt return yards and is one of just nine players in league history with more than 1,000 punt return yards on punt returns. Playing primarily on special teams as freshman in 2013, he was named first-team All-America as a punt returner/specialist by the FWAA and Athlon and was a second-team selection by USA Today and CBSsports.com. He became the first Carolina true freshman since Amos Lawrence in 1977 and just the third Tar Heel freshman overall since 1996 to earn first-team All-ACC honors (specialist). Switzer did not record his first punt return for a touchdown until the ninth game of the season against Virginia and then had two against Pittsburgh, one vs. Old Dominion and one vs. Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl victory.
Switzer set the ACC record with seven punt returns for touchdowns, just one shy of the NCAA career record.
LOGAN LANDS WITH ARIZONA
A 2016 second-team All-ACC pick as a specialist, Logan finished his Carolina career with 4,926 career all-purpose yards, which ranks fourth in school history. He rushed for 2,165 career rushing yards, which is 14th all-time at UNC. He also set the UNC career record with four kickoff returns for touchdowns with four.
T.J. Logan Photo Gallery
Last season, Logan was first in the ACC and third nationally with a 32.9 kickoff return average with 690 yards on 21 attempts and two touchdowns. He was also second on the team in rushing with 650 yards on 120 carries (5.4 avg.) and scored seven rushing TDs. He also had 29 catches for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Logan led the team with 1,584 all-purpose yards and averaged 121.8 per game, which ranked fifth in the ACC.
HOOD DRAFTED BY OAKLAND
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Hood finished his career with 2,580 yards (ninth at UNC) and 29 rushing touchdowns (sixth at UNC). He averaged 6.0 yards per carry over his three-year career and ranked among the best in UNC history as a sophomore in 2015.
An outstanding student who was twice named to the All-ACC Academic Team, Hood elected to forego his final season of eligibility and enter the draft after rushing for 858 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2016.
Hood had his best season as a Tar Heel in 2015, starting all 14 games and rushing 219 times for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns. He ranked third in the ACC with 1,463 rushing yards, the second-highest single-season total in Carolina history behind only Don McCauley's brilliant 1970 season of 1,720 yards. He also ranked second in the league in rushing touchdowns and second in yards per carry (6.7).
