UNC Football: Top 10 Tar Heels selected in NFL Draft since 1980
By John Ellis
Alge Crumpler (No. 35 overall, 2001 NFL Draft)
Coming to North Carolina from New Hanover High School, Crumpler was slated to be a blocking tight end. He would work on his receiving skills which started to show in his sophomore season. He would improve in both his junior and senior seasons averaging over ten yards per reception. After completing his UNC Football playing days in 2000, Alge Crumpler had earned First Team All-ACC honors on three consecutive occasions which is rare even to this day.
He also finished second in the All-American voting after his senior year.
After measuring 6’2.5″ tall and 266 pounds, he ran a 4.76 forty-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He would be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. Over his ten-year career, he would also play with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots. He was part of the Tennessee blocking unit that led the way for Chris Johnson to gain over 2,000 rushing yards in 2009. He would make the Pro-Bowl while with the Falcons in four consecutive seasons. Crumpler would go on to finish his career with 373 receptions for 4,743 yards and 39 receiving touchdowns. He would retire after the 2010 season after recording six receptions for 52 yards and two touchdowns.