North Carolina

2-time All-ACC WR Downs leaving UNC for NFL

Published

2 years ago

December 9, 2022

Press Room

2-time All-ACC WR Downs leaving UNC for NFL

4:00 PM GMT

Pete ThamelESPN

Two-time All-ACC broad receiver Josh Downs is leaving North Carolina for the NFL, he informed ESPN.

Downs is the No. 4 rated broad receiver within the upcoming draft, based on ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay, making him one of many prime receiving prospects out there for NFL groups.

Downs had back-to-back seasons of greater than 1,000 yards receiving for the Tar Heels and caught 22 profession landing passes. In simply three seasons at UNC, he rose to No. 4 on the all-time receiving checklist (2,483) and No. 2 general in landing catches.

He is not going to play within the San Diego County Credit score Union Vacation Bowl in opposition to Oregon.

Downs stated he got here to the choice after talking along with his father, Gary Downs, a former NFL participant who’s an assistant coach at East Tennessee State, and his coaches at North Carolina.

“I made a decision to take it to the following degree and declare for the NFL draft,” he informed ESPN.

Downs says he is assured that he is the “finest broad receiver within the draft” and inspired evaluators to dig into his movie.

“I simply really feel like whenever you activate the tape, I persistently win again and again and make performs with the ball when it comes my approach,” he stated.

Downs is listed on his UNC bio at 5-foot-10.5 and 175 kilos and his NFL comp will likely be former Penn State broad receiver Jahan Dotson. Downs stated he is assured he can play each in and out within the NFL. He stated he’ll begin coaching quickly at XOS and can head there full-time after the vacations.

“I am excited to point out my actual velocity within the 40,” he stated. “I will run a 4.3. I will put my title on it proper now.”

Downs credit his father’s NFL profession for “jumpstarting” his personal profession and feels honored for the possibility to comply with him to the league.

“I grew up bragging on my dad taking part in within the NFL,” he stated. “He was my function mannequin. In fact I wished to do the identical factor.”

An NFL scout who studied Downs known as him the very best draft eligible “prospect within the state of North Carolina this yr.” He stated Downs’ versatility on particular groups returning punts for UNC makes him extra enticing.

“He is not massive, however he is muscled up,” the scout stated. “He is received sufficient thickness to him. He is fast as a cat, can get open and could be a dynamic playmaker with the ball. All these NFL receivers are such playmakers now, it is modified the best way that groups take a look at the place.”

Downs caught balls at UNC from two of the best quarterbacks in school soccer — Sam Howell and Drake Maye, who’s a favourite to be a prime choose within the 2024 draft. Downs stated he selected to play for Mack Brown at North Carolina due to just lately departed coordinator Phil Longo’s dynamic offense and the best way they handed the ball. He complimented Longo’s creativity to maneuver him round and get him the ball.

He stated he feels lucky to have had two nice quarterbacks assist him showcase his abilities. At his subsequent cease, Downs stated one trait will outline him.

“I really feel like I am the toughest employee in America,” he stated, “and nobody goes to outwork me.”

Source link

North Carolina

Most NC schools don’t have carbon monoxide detectors in classrooms

Published

4 hours ago

July 31, 2024

Press Room

Most NC schools don’t have carbon monoxide detectors in classrooms

Thousands of school buildings in North Carolina, including many in Wake County, do not have carbon monoxide detectors.

On Wednesday, state schools leaders will look at how to address that. Talks are happening inside the state education building about ways to keep your student safe.

On Wednesday, we’ll get a breakdown of what it would take to install carbon monoxide detectors in schools.

State education leaders will be reviewing a report Wednesday afternoon. It shows most North Carolina schools don’t have them.

In Wake County, about 200 school buildings don’t have the devices. That’s more than a third of school buildings in the county. It would cost about $2.1 million to get them installed. It would cost $40 million to install them in schools across the state.

Nikki James Zellner with CO Safe Schools said not having these detectors puts children at risk.

“We think that we’re protected when we’re going into these establishments,” she said. “We think that our children are protected, but in reality, we’re relying on institutional standards that haven’t really been updated in a significant amount of time.”

Source link

North Carolina

North Carolina governor says Harris 'has a lot of great options' for running mate

Published

11 hours ago

July 31, 2024

Press Room

North Carolina governor says Harris 'has a lot of great options' for running mate

SUPPLY, N.C. — A day after confirming he wouldn’t be a candidate for Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday at a public event that he’s excited that Democrats “have a lot of great options for her to choose from.”

Speaking in coastal Brunswick County with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to celebrate federal funding for land conservation, Cooper reiterated his Monday message by saying “this was not the right time for our state or for me to potentially be on a national ticket.”

Cooper, barred by term limits from seeking reelection this year, had been among roughly a dozen potential contenders that Harris’ team was initially looking at for a vice presidential pick. He’s been a surrogate for President Joe Biden’s reelection bid and now for Harris.

“I am going to work every day to see that she is elected,” Cooper told WECT-TV. “I believe that she will win, and I look forward to this campaign because she has the right message and she is the right person for this country.”

In making his decision, Cooper confirmed Tuesday that he was concerned in part about what Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson could do if he left the state to campaign as part of the Democratic ticket. The state constitution says that “during the absence of the Governor from the State … the Lieutenant Governor shall be Acting Governor.” Robinson is running for governor this fall.

“We had concerns that he would try to seize the limelight because there would be a lot, if I were the vice presidential candidate, on him, and that would be a real distraction to the presidential campaign,” Cooper said.

Cooper pointed to when he traveled to Japan last fall on an economic development trip. As acting governor at the time, Robinson held a news conference during his absence to announce he had issued a “NC Solidarity with Israel Week” proclamation after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack inside the country.

Cooper also said Tuesday that he informed Harris’ campaign “early in the process” that he would not be a candidate, but that he didn’t reveal publicly that decision at first so as not to dampen enthusiasm for Harris within the party.

“My name had already been prominently put into the media and so I did not want to cause any problems for her or to slow her great momentum,” he told WRAL-TV while in Supply, located about 160 miles (258 kilometers) south of Raleigh. Cooper said he announced his decision when “there had begun to be a lot of speculation about the fact that I was not going to be in the pool of candidates, and in order to avoid the distraction of the speculation.”

Tuesday’s event at Green Swamp Preserve celebrated a $421 million grant for projects in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland to reduce climate pollution. The money will be used to preserve, enhance or restore coastal habitats, forests and farmland, Cooper’s office said.

Source link

North Carolina

Josh Heupel Explains Important of North Carolina To Tennessee Vols

Published

18 hours ago

July 30, 2024

Press Room

Josh Heupel Explains Important of North Carolina To Tennessee Vols

The state of North Carolina is uber-important to the Tennessee Volunteers on the recruiting trail and should only get more important in the coming years.

The Tennessee Volunteers are currently on a hot streak on the recruiting trail. They added commitments from Toombs County safety Lagonza Hayward and Derby High School tight end Da’Saahn Brame over the weekend, putting them at the No. 8 overall class in the 2025 cycle. They still have several important announcements in the near future, several from the state of North Carolina.

The Vols have been adamant about successfully recruiting the state of North Carolina for years, and as more blue-chip talent continues to come from the Tarheel state, the more Tennessee will spend its time within that footprint. They’re firmly in the race for Providence Day School offensive tackle David Sanders Jr., who ranks as the No. 2 prospect in the 2025 class. He announces his decision on August 17th, and the North Carolina native is quite high on the Vols.

Additionally, Grimsley High School quarterback Faizon Brandon decides between Alabama, LSU, North Carolina State, and Tennessee this weekend. The No. 9 prospect in the 2026 class also hails from North Carolina and is Tennessee’s top target at the quarterback position.

There are plenty of examples of future standouts coming from the state and past ones who’ve made an impact at the University of Tennessee – the school’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015 was North Carolina native Jaylen Wright, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel met with the media ahead of fall camp and discussed why they continue investing so much in the state.

“It is a border state,” Heupel explained to media on Tuesday. “For us, we believe and look at it and view it as part of our footprint. We are intentional in how we recruit that state.”

Other Tennessee News:

Join the Community:

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking “Follow” on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @VolunteerCountry & follow us on Twitter at @VCountryFN.

Source link