Tar Heels in the Pros: Eric Ebron scores three touchdowns in Week 10
Eric Ebron makes an acrobatic catch in the endzone and scores UNC’s first touchdown of the day.
A number of former North Carolina football players have impressed through 10 weeks of the NFL season. A common theme with the consistent Tar Heel graduates is that many of them were taken in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. Most recently, Eric Ebron and Mitch Trubisky have started fulfilling their expectations as top draft picks.
Eric Ebron
The 10th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft is having a career-defining year with his new team, the Indianapolis Colts. Ebron has already set his career-high receiving touchdown total with nine on the year, and more are likely to come.
The former North Carolina tight end is also fast approaching his best season in terms of receiving yards. The number to beat is 711, and Ebron currently has 463 receiving yards on the year with seven games remaining.
Ebron was responsible for the Indianapolis Colts’ first three touchdowns in their win against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Ebron scored on two of his three catches on the day.
However, the tight end’s most impressive touchdown came on the ground. Ebron scored just the second rushing touchdown of his career after shuffling in motion before taking the handoff from quarterback Andrew Luck and swinging around for a 2-yard run. The former Tar Heel finished with 69 receiving yards on three receptions.
Ebron led the Colts to a 29-26 victory which improved their record to 4-5. He and the Colts will look to extend their three-game win streak against the Tennessee Titans this Sunday.
Mitch Trubisky
Trubisky was selected as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and he seems to be the franchise quarterback that the Chicago Bears were expecting.
The offensive leader added to his impressive second season on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Trubisky posted a passer rating of 148.6 in a 34-22 victory for the Bears. His second-best quarterback rating of the year paired with his best completion percentage and most passing yards put the Bears in first place in the NFC North.
Trubisky was sacked just once on Sunday, in large part due to the play of his offensive line, but also his ability to evade pass rushers. This skill is what sets him apart, and it was on full display yet again in Week 10. Trubisky put his legs to use and ran three times for 18 yards, including a 4-yard rushing touchdown.
Trubisky will look to continue the Bears quest for their first playoff appearance since 2010 against a division rival, the Minnesota Vikings, on Sunday. A win this week would extend the division lead for the Bears as they hope to continue to pull away from the pack.
Zach Brown
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The second round pick from the 2012 draft continued his impressive season on Sunday. Brown matched his season high with nine total tackles.
Brown had the second-most tackles for the Washington Redskins in a successful effort against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The former Tar Heel also forced a fumble in the fourth quarter that stopped an encouraging Tampa Bay drive. That fumble all but guaranteed victory for the Redskins as they preserved their two-score lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Brown and the Redskins are currently in first place in the NFC East and look to solidify their lead against the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Julius Peppers
The defensive end, who has made nine Pro Bowls and is the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, suffered a 52-21 loss for the Carolina Panthers against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Thursday night.
Peppers has not seen as much action as he is used to this season, only being on the field for 50.35 percent of the Panthers’ defensive snaps. However, the Tar Heel great is still doing his job as a pass rusher. Peppers had three combined tackles this past week and one sack.
Peppers signed a one-year contract last offseason and has had his numbers trail off in recent years. His statistics leave one to wonder if he will decide to hang up his cleats after the season. If he were to retire, Peppers would end his 17-year career with over 700 tackles and 150 sacks.
