UNC Football: Chazz Surratt named first team All-American
UNC football star Chazz Surratt has been named a first team All-American by Street & Smith’s.
University of North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt is one of the nation’s most decorated defensive players heading into the 2020 college football season. Just a week after being named to the All-ACC first team by Athlon Sports, Surratt has earned preseason first team All-America honors from Street & Smith’s.
A former backup quarterback for the Tar Heels, Surratt transitioned to inside linebacker as a junior. After making the move to the defensive side of the ball, Surratt performed as well as any linebacker in the country. He was subsequently named a first team All-ACC performer in 2019, and runner-up for the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
He finished the season with 115 total tackles — 66 solo tackles and 49 assists — to go along with 15 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He was the unquestioned leader of a UNC defense that improved substantially from a season ago, and looks to be even better this season in head coach Mack Brown’s second year back in Chapel Hill.
The Tar Heels will expect more of the same from Surratt in 2020, and they’ll need it if they hope to achieve some of their lofty goals in an ACC that’s been dominated by Clemson in recent years. If he does perform at the level that many anticipate, he’ll only improve his already high draft stock that currently projects him to be a first round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. has Surratt pegged as the No. 2 inside linebacker prospect in the draft.
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