In The End, Distance Didn't Matter To Chapman

San Diego is 2,180 miles to the west of Chapel Hill, a distance that caused Don Chapman to think long and hard about whether or not he would indeed commit to play football at North Carolina.

But in the end, he weighed the positives against the negatives, and it led the California native to pop for the Tar Heels.

“Nobody believed I would go that far, but it’s a great program,” Chapman told THI a few days after he committed last Sunday to play for Mack Brown’s program.

"And distance played a part in why I was hesitant but Coach (Mack) Brown (assistant) Coach (Dre') Bly are about family as am, and I know I love it up there and feel at home I felt at home."

The 3-star safety’s only visit to Carolina came when he took an official the weekend of Jan. 15 and he had a great time. He immediately hit it off with Bly and felt comfortable with everything

Add to that the idea of playing for people as accomplished as Bly, who played 11 years in the NFL and is one of the ACC’s greatest defensive backs ever and Brown, who has won a national championship as a coach and also had a Heisman Trophy winner. Both Bly and Brown are also enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. The prospect of being around and learning from them was a big part of what swayed Chapman, too.

“How many people can say they had the opportunity to play for to Hall of Famers,” said Chapman, who attends Lincoln High School.

And for Chapman, Bly isn’t just a guy with a plaque. Google searches for his highlights as a Tar Heel or in the NFL, where he won a Super Bowl, two Pro Bowls and intercepted 43 passes, are easy to find.

“I’ve seen his game and it’s how I wanna; play fast, physical and a smart,” Chapman said. “His specialty was his ability to make plays and force turnovers.

So, naturally, with that bond in place, when Chapman called to inform the UNC staff he was going to be a Tar Heel was No. 31 himself.

“First person I called was coach Dre’ (and) he was excited,” Chapman said. “The next person coach Mack and I followed up with Coach Bru (Tim Brewster) and Coach (Jay) Bateman. They were all very excited and happy that I made this choice.”

Chapman, who is 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, will enroll in the summer. But between now and then, he’s focused on preparing to be a Tar Heel, and he has a plan

“Work myself day in and day out so that I have the opportunity to compete for a spot.”

*We're posting this because it gives people a bit more insight into the kind of young man Chapman is.