University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Chandler Picked By Minnesota In Fifth Round
April 30, 2022 | Football
LAS VEGAS - University of North Carolina running back Ty Chandler has been selected in the fifth round with the 169th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Chandler becomes the 247th Tar Heel chosen in the NFL Draft and the 41st running back. He is the 10th Tar Heel chosen by the Vikings.
"I'm so excited for this opportunity to continue my football career," said Chandler. "It's been a long journey, but the day is finally here. I wouldn't be here without all the help from different people along the way, but I want to give a huge thank you to my family for sticking with me and believing in me. I also want to thank all of the coaches, staff, and teammates I've been fortunate to work with during my career. This has been a team effort, and now it's on to the next chapter. I'm thrilled to be a Minnesota Viking and I can't wait to get started."
"Ty Chandler came to Carolina with loads of potential and we thought he'd have a tremendous year," said Carolina head coach Mack Brown. "That's exactly what he did. He grew into the offense with his combination of speed and quickness, and was extremely productive for us. Ty was also great in the locker room as an experienced presence and went on to be voted captain by his teammates. We're so happy he decided to spend his last year with us in Chapel Hill and we can't wait to see what he accomplishes on the next level."
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Chandler started all 13 games at running back in his lone season with the Tar Heels in 2021. He was named second team All-ACC after leading the team with 1,092 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He added 15 receptions for 216 yards and one receiving TD.
A threat to score every time he touches the ball, Chandler had seven career rushes of 50 or more yards, including four with UNC. He also added a 75-yard receiving TD against Duke last fall. He exploded for a career-high 213 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns against Wake Forest, becoming the first Carolina player to have four scores on the ground since Leon Johnson in 1993.
Chandler played 45 games and made 25 starts at Tennessee from 2017-2020. He totaled 2,015 rushing yards and ranks fifth in UT history with 3,245 all-purpose yards.
"I'm so excited for this opportunity to continue my football career," said Chandler. "It's been a long journey, but the day is finally here. I wouldn't be here without all the help from different people along the way, but I want to give a huge thank you to my family for sticking with me and believing in me. I also want to thank all of the coaches, staff, and teammates I've been fortunate to work with during my career. This has been a team effort, and now it's on to the next chapter. I'm thrilled to be a Minnesota Viking and I can't wait to get started."
"Ty Chandler came to Carolina with loads of potential and we thought he'd have a tremendous year," said Carolina head coach Mack Brown. "That's exactly what he did. He grew into the offense with his combination of speed and quickness, and was extremely productive for us. Ty was also great in the locker room as an experienced presence and went on to be voted captain by his teammates. We're so happy he decided to spend his last year with us in Chapel Hill and we can't wait to see what he accomplishes on the next level."
Â
Chandler started all 13 games at running back in his lone season with the Tar Heels in 2021. He was named second team All-ACC after leading the team with 1,092 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He added 15 receptions for 216 yards and one receiving TD.
A threat to score every time he touches the ball, Chandler had seven career rushes of 50 or more yards, including four with UNC. He also added a 75-yard receiving TD against Duke last fall. He exploded for a career-high 213 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns against Wake Forest, becoming the first Carolina player to have four scores on the ground since Leon Johnson in 1993.
Chandler played 45 games and made 25 starts at Tennessee from 2017-2020. He totaled 2,015 rushing yards and ranks fifth in UT history with 3,245 all-purpose yards.
Players Mentioned
Running Back
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