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Tim Scott Has Advice For Undrafted Tar Heels

Jeff Schoettmer is one of several former Tar Heels getting advice from Tim Scott about being undrafted free agents.
Jeff Schoettmer is one of several former Tar Heels getting advice from Tim Scott about being undrafted free agents.
AP


This past weekend didn’t go as planned for some North Carolina football players. Well, former players.

Landon Turner, in particular, was expected to be selected in the NFL Draft but surprisingly was not taken by any team. No other Heels were drafted, either.

But that doesn’t mean the end of their NFL dreams. In fact, for some, they are pretty much where they’d be even had they been taken, and nobody understands this better than Tim Scott.

Scott, a senior safety on the 2014 Tar Heels, went undrafted last year but signed with the Dallas Cowboys right after the draft concluded. Eventually, that didn’t work out for him, but he did land with the Cleveland Browns.

Scott is still with the Browns, and his path is one that the seniors from UNC that signed this weekend as free agents are likely facing for themselves. He spoke to some of the Heels hours after the draft ended, offering some needed advice.

“Just that it doesn't matter where you really get drafted it's all about getting your opportunity and making the best of it,” Scott said. “Every hall of farmer or pro bowl guy didn't go in the first round.”

Scott said a key for him was going into a situation thinking he was going to make it. It wasn’t a confidence that grew as time passed and he stuck around, it was there to begin with.

“I mean, in my eyes I felt like I had a realistic chance everyday,” he said. “You have to have a mindset that ‘I WILL’ instead of ‘I HOPE.’”

Scott spoke with most of the Heels who signed, but multiple times with Marquise William (Minnesota Vikings), Romar Morris (New York Jets), Jeff Schoettmer (New Orleans Saints) and T.J. Thorpe, who transferred from UNC to Virginia for this past season.

“I've just been trying to give them what I've gone through this past year and give them a resource to everything that will happen because it will happen fast,” Scott said.

For Morris and Schoettmer, getting in on special teams early will be important. Most rookies go there to begin with, but the ones that can excel there and show they can handle some kind of role at their natural position have a chance at making it.

Scott couldn’t reiterate enough that now everything is pretty much even for the players. NFL teams want to win, and they don’t care if a guy is an undrafted free agent, they care of that player can help their team. Period.

Tar Heels That Signed Free Agent Deals:

Landon Turner – New Orleans Saints

Jeff Schoettmer – New Orleans Saints

Quinshad Davis – Detroit Lions

Shakeel Rashad – Houston Texans

Marquise Williams – Minnesota Vikings

Romar Morris – New York Jets


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