5/19/2016 football Edit

No. 13: Greg Ellis

The Tar Heel with the most sacks ever was a major part of some great defenses in the 90s.

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

No. 13

Name: Greg Ellis

Position: DE

Jersey #: 87

Years: 1994-97

Honors: 2-time All-American; 1997 1st-team All-America; 3-time, 1st-team All-ACC.

Notable Stats: 32.5 career sacks (UNC’s all-time leader); 50 career tackles for loss of yardage; 134 career tackles; 83 career QB hurries.

In Closing: One of the key players on perhaps UNC’s best defense in the modern era, as the Tar Heels finished No. 2 in the nation on that side of the ball in his junior and senior seasons. Ellis’ consistent reliability as one of the nation’s top pass rushers was key, but he also made the rest of the Tar Heels' talented line even better. Those two Carolina clubs combined to go 21-3 and finished ranked in the top 10 of the national polls.

He was voted by his teammates as a team captain his senior season in which UNC allowed just 217 total yards and 11.5 points per game. His 32.5 career sacks are still the all-time record at UNC and is the fourth highest total in ACC history. The Tar Heels led the ACC in total defense in each of Ellis’ last three seasons. Ellis blocked an Arkansas field goal in the 1995 Carquest Bowl and he scored a touchdown against Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl in his last game as a Tar Heel.

Prior Ranked Heels

30 - Natrone Means

29 - Jack Merritt

28 - Landon Turner

27 - Chris Hanburger

26 - Jeff Saturday

25 - Bob Lacey

24 - Bracey Walker

23 - Ethan Horton

22 - Brian Blados

21 - Leon Johnson

20 - George Barclay