These Heels Almost Went First...

With the NFL Draft now a week behind us and no Tar Heel taken in the first round, we decided to reflect a little on a year ago when the second player taken overall, Mitch Trubisky, was from North Carolina while digging deeper into UNC’s draft history.

UNC hasn’t yet had a football player taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, but four different Tar Heels have gone No. 2 overall, including a year ago when quarterback Mitch Trubisky was selected by the Chicago, Bears.

All four Heels taken second overall have come in the last 53 years and included a running back, a defensive end, a linebacker and a quarterback.

Here are those players:

Drafted: 1965 by San Francisco 49ers (4 pro bowls)

*Played 10 seasons (132 games) in the NFL, was named to four Pro Bowl teams

*Ran for 6,105 yards while scoring 45 touchdowns

*Caught 277 passes for 2,184 yards and 17 touchdowns

*Totals: 8,289 yards and 62 touchdowns

Drafted: 1982 by the New York Giants

*Played 13 seasons in the NFL, won 2 Super Bowls, played in 10 Pro Bowls, 8-time first-team All-Pro

*NFL MVP in 1986, 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1981

*132.5 sacks, 1,089 tackles.

*Jersey No. 56 is retired by the New York Giants. Career:

*NFL Hall of Fame.

Drafted: 2002 by the Carolina Panthers

*Still active, has played 16 years in the NFL, been named to 9 Pro Bowls, 2000s All-Decade team, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2002

*Fourth all-time with 154.5 sacks, has 693 tackles, forced 49 fumbles, picked off 11 passes and scored 6 defensive touchdowns.

Drafted: 2017 by the Chicago Bears

*Still active, has played one season in the NFL

*Started 12 games as a rookie, completed 196 of 30 pass attempts (59.4 percent) for 2,193 yards, 7 touchdowns and 7 interceptions

*Sacked 31 times, credited with 41 runs for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns