Just more than a week after losing freshman running back Giovani Bernard for the season due to an ACL tear, North Carolina football took another blow on Monday when freshman linebacker Ty Linton signed to play professional baseball with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Linton was a two-sport star at Charlotte Christian High School who would have likely played baseball at UNC, as well. He was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 14th round of this year’s draft and signed with the team just before the deadline on Monday.
“Our football program is disappointed to lose Ty Linton to the Arizona Diamondbacks,” UNC football coach Butch Davis said in a statement.
“He was making significant progress in training camp and I believe he had a bright football future. After meeting with Arizona over the last few days, Ty and his family felt it was in his best interest to pursue a professional baseball career. We wish him the best of luck.”
Linton was low on the depth chart for linebackers, who are considered to be one of the best linebacking corps in the nation. Both Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter are seniors who are projected to go in the first two rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft.
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