North Carolina Tar Heel football legend Lawrence Taylor (#98 retired UNC jersey), was a first team NCAA All-American, ACC Player of the Year and was the #2 player taken overall in the 1981 NFL draft.
As a New York Giant outside linebacker (#56 retired NY Giant jersey) LT has been regarded by many as the greatest defensive player to ever play in the NFL, and probably the most feared with his very intense, hard-hitting style. Taylor redefined the linebacker position in football and forced several new offensive schemes to deal with his ability to blitz so quickly. LT also introduced innovative techniques, such as chopping the ball out of offensive players hands rather than just trying to tackle them.
LT won a record 3 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards, 2 Super Bowls (XXI & XXV), the 1986 NFL MVP award (only the second defensive play to ever do so), and was named first team All-Pro in each of his first nine seasons, which was also a record at that time.
“Lawrence Taylor, defensively, has had as big an impact as any player I’ve ever seen. He changed the way defense is played, the way pass-rushing is played, the way linebackers play and the way offenses block linebackers.” — Quote by NFL Great John Madden
