The ACC revealed its 2019 Legends Class for football on Wednesday, with UNC represented this year by one of the greatest to ever hone their craft in Chapel Hill–defensive end Julius Peppers.

Peppers played at UNC from 1999-2001 and was a unanimous First Team All-American as a junior. He also won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player that year and the Rotary Lombardi Award, which was given to the nation’s top interior lineman.

In addition to those honors, Peppers also finished 10th in Heisman Trophy voting in 2001. For his college career, he racked up totals of 167 tackles, 30.5 sacks, 53 tackles for loss, five interceptions and five forced fumbles.

Peppers’ talents weren’t just limited to the gridiron either, as he was a starting forward on UNC’s 2000 Final Four men’s basketball team.

He was eventually drafted No. 2 overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2002 NFL Draft, before going on to make nine Pro Bowls and earn a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000’s.

By the time of his retirement this past offseason, Peppers had played 18 NFL seasons and racked up 159.5 total sacks–good enough for fourth on the league’s all-time list.

Other members of this year’s ACC Legends Class include: Brian Dawkins (Clemson), Deion Branch (Louisville), DeAngelo Hall (Virginia Tech), Nate Irving (NC State), Bernie Kosar (Miami), Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech), Christopher Port (Duke), Ron Sellers (Florida State), Rickey Jackson (Pitt), Joe Morris (Syracuse), Don Majkowski (Virginia), and Bob McCeary (Wake Forest).

 

 

 

Photo via ACC Digital Network

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