Best North Carolina Players in NFL History

Taylor was drafted second overall in the 1981 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. The pass rusher developed into one of the best defensive players of all-time. Additionally, Lawrence's dominance against the pass altered the way teams protect the quarterback, sending additional help with running backs sliding over to pick up the blitz.

In his career, Taylor won two Super Bowls, was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and earned the NFL MVP in 1986. During his career, Taylor compiled 923 tackles, 142 sacks, 213 forced fumbles, and nine interceptions.

Julius Peppers

Peppers was selected with the second-overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. In 17 seasons, the Hall-of-Fame pass rusher recorded 159.5 sacks, 556 solo tackles, 21 fumble recoveries, and 11 interceptions.

Additionally, Peppers is a nine-time Pro Bowler who played for Carolina, Chicago, and Green Bay throughout his career. Unfortunately, Peppers never won a Super Bowl in his career, losing to the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 50.

Robert Quinn

While Quinn is nowhere near the same tier of player as the two aforementioned names, the edge rusher did have a productive career. Quinn was drafted by the then St. Louis Rams in 2011 with the 14th-overall pick.

Quinn has not played since 2022 and remains a free agent, but during his career, he totaled 285 solo tackles, 102.0 sacks, and three fumble recoveries. In 2021, Quinn recorded 18.5 sacks, which was second to T.J. Watt, who recorded 22.5 sacks.

Hakeem Nicks

Nicks played seven seasons with the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts. During his career, Nicks recorded 356 receptions for 5,081 yards and 31 touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 208-pound wideout was a pivotal piece in the Giants' hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in 2012.

In that run, Nicks caught 28 passes for 444 yards and four touchdowns in the four-game span. That included a 10-catch, 109-yard performance against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. Nicks never developed into a superstar receiver, but he was an underrated player throughout his career, operating as an above-average WR2 alongside Victor Cruz.