UNC’s Chazz Surratt voted first team All-ACC in his first season as linebacker
One year ago, Chazz Surratt was a quarterback for North Carolina, who struggled in his only game that season.
Today, he’s an All-ACC linebacker.
The ACC announced on Tuesday that Surratt was voted first-team All-ACC, and was joined by his brother and Wake Forest wide receiver Sage Surratt. Surratt is the first UNC player voted to the first-team All-ACC since Anthony Ratliff-Williams was voted first-team as a special teamer in 2017.
Chazz Surratt, who is 6-2, 225 pounds finished the regular season tied for the ACC lead with 110 tackles. He also had a team-high six sacks, two forced fumbles, and a game-ending interception against Duke.
Surratt made the switch from quarterback to linebacker after the 2018 regular season.
“I just thought it was best for me going forward,” Surratt said in March.
Surratt was a quarterback at East Lincoln High School, who broke state records. But he also played on defense some. His mother has said she always felt her son was a defensive player playing quarterback.
He was recruited at UNC as a quarterback and started in seven games during his redshirt freshman season in 2017. He passed for 1,342 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions, and also ran for five touchdowns.
During his sophomore season, he played in only one game and suffered a season-ending wrist injury against Miami.
He entered the 2019 season as one of the backup linebackers, but was placed in the starting lineup in the season-opener against South Carolina after two of UNC’s potential starters were suspended. Surratt immediately saw success.
He had 12 tackles, a sack and a pass deflection in his first game. He continued to improve and became a full-time starter at linebacker early in the season.
“I just think it’s hard work and listening to my coaches,” Surratt said in an interview with the N&O on Tuesday. “Coach Brown has been great. Coach (Thigpen) and Coach Bateman have helped me out along the way. And then I’ve had great teammates too. (Aaron Crawford) and (Jason Strowbridge) for me have been big.”
“I gotta thank my teammates.”
Both UNC coach Mack Brown and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman have sung Surratt’s praises. Neither expected Surratt to have the kind of success he’s had.
They both believe he can play in the NFL soon.
“I always knew I could do it, but a lot of people didn’t,” Surratt said. “That is satisfying, but I was more worried about trying to win games and doing whatever I could to win games here at Carolina.
“I’m still trying to get better. I still got a lot of work to do, so I’m not just going to sit on this and be complacent. It’s going to motivate me to be better and do better next year.”
Surratt wasn’t the only UNC player to win All-ACC honors. Here is a list the players named:
First-team
▪ LB Chazz Surratt: 110 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 INT
Second-team
▪ WR Dazz Newsome: 64 receptions, 947 yards, 8 touchdowns
▪ OT Charlie Heck: 36 knockdowns, has allowed less than a sack.
Third-team
▪ QB Sam Howell: 3,347 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 1 rushing touchdown.
▪ RB: Michael Carter: 919 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns.
▪ WR: Dyami Brown: 46 receptions, 947 yards, 11 touchdowns
Honorable mention
▪ DT: Aaron Crawford: 49 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FF
▪ RB: Javonte Williams: 848 rushing yards, 6 total touchdowns (5 rushing, 1 receiving).
▪ S: Myles Dorn: 78 tackles, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs
▪ AP: Michael Carter: 1,503 all-purpose yards, 5 total touchdowns.
This story was originally published December 3, 2019 at 10:49 AM.
