5/17/2021 football Edit

No. 13: Paul Severin

Paul Severin was one of UNC's earliest national football stars, as he was dominant on both sides of the ball. (UNC Athletics)

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

*Publisher's note: THI is ranking the top 25 football players in UNC history, gauging each player solely on their careers as Tar Heels. NFL accomplishments do not factor into these rankings.

No. 13

Name: Paul Severin

Position: End, both ways

Jersey #: 87

Years: 1938-40

Honors: Two-time, first-team All-America in 1939 and 1940; Two-time, first-team All-Southern Conference.

Notable Stats: Six career touchdown receptions at a time when teams rarely passed; Five TD receptions as a junior in 1939; Caught 15 passes as a senior at a time when teams did not often pass.

In Closing: Defensive stats were not kept when Severin played at UNC, but if they were he would have racked up tackles at a rate like few Carolina players before or after. That combination with his offensive prowess is why he ranks here. It does not hurt that he was a two-time, first-team All-America, and in November of 1940 college football writer Harry Grayson the NSA wire service wrote that Severin “did in superlative fashion for North Carolina everything a splendid end is supposed to do.”

Severin led defenses that averaged allowing 6.2 points per game over three seasons. He missed some time with an injury in the middle of his senior season but came on strong at the end of that season to notch another All-America achievement after a pair of huge plays late in the season helped UNC salvage a tie with Tulane (touchdown reception) and then one of the biggest defensive plays in Carolina history when he made a game-saving tackle from behind of Duke great Steve Lach to preserve a 6-3 UNC win.