Defensive tackle Nazair Jones has become the first of what promises to be multiple North Carolina football underclassmen to announce his intention to enter the NFL draft. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound junior will forgo his final season of college eligibility after playing for the Tar Heels against Stanford in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 29. He is expected to be joined in the draft by quarterback Mitch Trubisky and possibly another junior, running back Elijah Hood. “The University of North Carolina has changed me so much since the first day I stepped on campus,” Jones said in a statement. “Throughout my career, I have been with a family of brothers and found people that have become my closest friends. I want to thank our amazing coaching staff, support staff and an incredible fan base. I know Tar Heel nation will always have my back.” Jones played in 34 games for UNC, with 21 starts. Despite missing a game because of a concussion, he recorded a career-high 62 tackles this season with 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and three pass breakups while earning third-team All-ACC honors for the second straight season. Off the field, he started his own non-profit organization, called MADE Men Mentoring, which aims to provide a support system for underprivileged young men in North Carolina by pairing them with college student-athletes who will mentor and support them in the areas of academics, competitive athletics, and manhood, “It’s been a pleasure coaching Naz throughout his career at UNC and watching him grow as a person both on and off the field,” UNC coach Larry Fedora said. “He has overcome great physical adversity and improved tremendously since he came into the program in 2013. This season he was the leader of our defensive line and someone everyone on the team respected. I believe he has a bright future in professional football if he continues to work hard and focus on being the best he can be.”
