Lawrence Taylor — North Carolina (ACC) (1978-1981)
Another school that is typically considered a basketball powerhouse, North Carolina has actually produced plenty of great NFL players in the past decades, including Jeff Saturday, Hakeem Nicks and Julius Peppers. However, Lawrence Taylor, arguably the best linebacker in the history of NFL, has to be the greatest Tar Heel ever. “L.T.” was a unanimous All-American at UNC and he was the 1980 ACC Player of the Year. In the pros, he played for the New York Giants his entire career, winning two Super Bowls with the team in the 1980s. In addition, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times and made 10 Pro Bowls and 10 All-Pro teams, including inside and outside linebacker first-team selections.
Lawrence Taylor — North Carolina (ACC) (1978-1981)
Philip Rivers — North Carolina State (ACC) (2000-2003)
Memorable NFL talents like Mario Williams, Torry Holt and Russell Wilson each played for North Carolina State, but legacy of quarterback Philip Rivers edges them out. Rivers broke a number of ACC passing records while at NC State, and he started 51 straight games, which is a sign of the durability that he also showed in the pros. So far, he has spent his whole career with the San Diego Chargers and he has put up numbers which practically guarantee him a Hall of Fame spot. He has been named to eight Pro Bowls and has led the league when it comes to passer rating, passing touchdowns and passing yards at various times but Rivers has somehow never been named to an All-Pro team.
Philip Rivers — North Carolina State (ACC) (2000-2003)
