2013 NFL Draft Prospects: North Carolina

These are the school’s prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft by status * – denotes 2014 prospect ** – denotes 2015 prospect.

This page was last updated April 24, 2013. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Jonathan Cooper, G/C, North Carolina
Height: 6-2. Weight: 311. Arm: 33.08.
40 Time: 5.07.
Projected Round (2013): Top-16 Pick.
4/24/13: There has been a lot of buzz about Cooper, and it looks very possible that he could go ahead of Warmack. Cooper’s ability to play center gives him some versatility that Warmack isn’t projected to have. The preference between the two could depend a lot on blocking scheme, but scouts have told WalterFootball.com that they believe that Cooper will go in the top half of the first round.

Cooper showed up at the Combine heavier and stronger than expected and put on a clinic. He was one of the leaders on the bench press with 35 reps and was phenomenal in the field work. Cooper had lightning fast feet and with superior agility. It was a great performance to solidify his stock in the top 20.

Cooper hit a great cut block in space during the first game of his senior season to spring Giovani Bernard for a long touchdown run against Elon. That was a common refrain as Cooper did an excellent job of run blocking for Bernard in 2012. Cooper played well against Virginia Tech among others and Bernard had a great season. Cooper was rock solid in pass protection all year. He is also fast at pulling and getting to the second level.

Cooper is extremely quick and athletic, so moving to center shouldn’t be a problem, and it could make him more attractive to NFL talent evaluators. He turned down a chance to play in the Senior Bowl.

8/24/12: Jonathan Cooper was a Second-Team All-ACC selection for the 2010 season. He did a good job as a run-blocker and pass-blocker. The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder was an excellent blocker for running back Giovanni Bernard in the 2011 season. Bernard had a tremendous freshman season with 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Cooper is a good athlete who also is strong at the point of attack. He could use more bulk if enters a power man-blocking scheme in the NFL. Cooper looks like he would fit best in zone-blocking scheme at the moment. Don’t be surprised if he attempts to move to center, or there is, at least, talk about it.

Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina
Height: 6-3. Weight: 313. Arm: 33.48.
40 Time: 5.03.
Projected Round (2013): 1.
4/24/13: Williams’ stock has been rising following the Combine and his pro day, and he looks like he has a shot to crack the top 20.

Williams was getting to the quarterback a lot early in the season, recording five sacks through the first six games. The one game he was kept in check came against Louisville. Center Mario Benavides held Williams to two tackles as the Cardinals gashed North Carolina on the ground up the middle. It was an ugly performance for Williams. He bounced back with better outings against weak opponents.

Williams was quiet in the second half of the season with just one sack. It came against Virginia in an excellent performance by Williams. He finished the year with 42 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss and six sacks. Williams has a nice combination of speed and size.

8/25/12: The junior-college transfer benefited from some good talent around him in Tydreke Powell, Quinton Coples and Kareem Martin last season. Williams had 54 tackles with seven tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception and a forced fumble. He is a specimen with a nice combination of size and speed.

Williams needs more development, but is an interesting prospect. He made a good decision to stay for his senior season.

Giovani Bernard**, RB, North Carolina
Height: 5-8. Weight: 202. Hand: 9.38.
40 Time: 4.53.
Projected Round (2013): 2-3.
4/24/13: Scouts have told WalterFootball.com that they love Bernard despite his generally flying under the radar. They think he is a late second-round or early third-round pick who could be a steal. Bernard had a solid Combine. He ran well in the 40 and looked good in the receiving drills. Size concerns are his biggest negative.

Bernard was an electric play-maker for North Carolina this year. He dominated conference play including a massive day (23-267) against Virginia Tech. Bernard found the end zone in every game he played in 2012.

Bernard ran for 1,228 yards and 10 touchdowns this season while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He also hauled in 47 passes for 490 yards and five touchdowns. Bernard averaged 16 yards per punt return as well, and even scored on two of them. One was the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter against N.C. State. He missed two games with an undisclosed injury.

8/16/12: Bernard burst onto the scene with 1,324 yards and 13 touchdowns (5.24 average) last year as a redshirt freshman. He also showed fantastic receiving ability with 45 receptions for 362 yards and one touchdown. Bernard carried the Tar Heels’ offense, and he was consistently good.

Bernard is extremely quick to break runs for big gains. Furthermore, he is hard to tackle in the open field as he has shiftiness to dodge tacklers.

Brennan Williams, OT, North Carolina
Height: 6-6. Weight: 318. Arm: 34.08.
Projected 40 Time: 5.20.
Projected Round (2013): 3-4.
4/24/13: Williams was generating a lot of draft buzz in 2012 and his stock was rising, but then his season ended early due to a torn labrum. The senior was doing a good job of run blocking for Giovani Bernard. Williams still has starting potential at right tackle in the NFL and could be a great value pick on the second day of the 2013 NFL Draft – if he can stay healthy.

8/23/12: Williams broke into the starting lineup at right tackle as a junior. He had an excellent season as a lead run-blocker for running back Giovanni Bernard. The redshirt freshman ran for 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns. Williams was one of Bernard’s best blockers. If Williams continues to improve, he looks like he could be a second-day pick with the ability to be a starting right tackle in the NFL.

Kevin Reddick, ILB, North Carolina
Height: 6-1. Weight: 243. Arm: 31 5/8. Hand: 9 3/8.
40 Time: 4.72.
Projected Round (2012): 5-7.
4/24/13: Reddick was a disappointment in the early going of 2012, but played better in the second half of the season. He racked up 85 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and six passes breakup. Reddick may be best in the NFL as part of a 3-4 that likes to blitz from the inside linebackers. He didn’t do as well as expected at the Combine.

Scouts told WalterFootball.com that they graded Reddick as a late-round pick, but could see a team liking him and taking him in the mid-rounds.

8/31/12: Reddick was solid for North Carolina last season, but unspectacular. He collected 71 tackles with six tackles for a loss, one sack and four passes broken up. Reddick had no interceptions nor any forced fumbles. He was overshadowed and out-produced by Zach Brown. Reddick could stand out more with Brown in the NFL.

Reddick led North Carolina’s defense in tackles in 2010 . That is saying something considering that defense featured other linebackers like Bruce Carter, Quan Sturdivant and Zach Brown. The fast and instinctive redshirt sophomore recorded 74 tackles with six tackles for a loss, two interceptions and five passes broken up for the season.

With a good supporting cast around him, Reddick could improve his numbers in 2012. Like many of the other Tar Heel products, the senior is a superior athlete.

Devon Ramsay*, FB, North Carolina
Height: 6-2. Weight: 250.
Projected 40 Time: 4.72.
Projected Round (2013): FA.
4/24/13: Ramsay did not play in 2012.

8/17/12: Ramsay is a powerful lead blocker when playing. He was suspended for most of his sophomore season by the NCAA. Ramsay tore ligaments in his left knee during the first game of the 2011 season that caused him to miss the rest of the year. However, he was awarded a medical redshirt. Ramsay also redshirted in 2007 because of a shoulder injury.