Brown selected by Tennessee Titans
Chapel Hill, N.C. - North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown was selected in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft (52nd overall) by the Tennessee Titans on Friday evening.
"I'm happy where I'm at," said Brown on the Tennessee Titans teleconference. "I talked to the Titans and they said they would make it happen. I'm just ready to roll now. I know 'DT' (David Thornton) used to play there, but I don't know anyone else on the team."
Advertisement
"(David's) like my big brother. He was down at Carolina for two years and we became close. He told me to keep my head up and keep playing even with the adversity we've been going through the last couple of year at Carolina," Brown continued.
"We've got a guy who is versatile," said Titans' head coach Mike Munchak of Brown.
"He can play the weakside linebacker. We like to bring that linebacker. He's someone with good rush skills. The fact that he can cover and run the way he has with the people we have to cover. He gives us a lot of options. We went into the draft thinking we needed to fill this need."
One of the fastest linebackers in the draft, Brown was a first-team All-ACC performer in 2011 and a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. He led the Tar Heels with 105 tackles and added 13.5 tackles for losses and 5.5 sacks. He also recorded seven career interceptions for 137 yards.
"I think I can do a little bit of everything," he said. "I can blitz, I can cover. I'm just a linebacker. If you ask me to do something, I can do it. "
As a junior in 2011, the Columbia, Md., native finished second on the team with 72 tackles, despite starting just five games. He also earned enough points in the coaches' scoring system to be named a special teams captain.
Brown is the third Tar Heel linebacker taken in the last two years.
A year ago, UNC linebackers Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant were selected in the second and sixth round, respectively.
Throughout the evaluation process leading up to the draft, many observers questioned whether Brown was physical enough.
"Well, it's a knock, but we're just going to have to see now," Brown said. "Everybody that said that is going to find out when the season comes."