April 30, 2007
North Carolina wide receiver Jesse Holley and linebacker Victor Worsley will each have an opportunity to continue their football careers after signing NFL free agent contracts a day after the league's draft.
Other Tar Heels earning a chance to play at the next level include Jon Hamlett with Atlanta, Shelton Bynum with Cleveland and Kareen Taylor with Washington. All five Tar Heels will participate in mini-camps in the coming days.
Holley inked a three-year free agent deal with Cincinnati on Monday, while Worsley signed with the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts.
"I think this is a great opportunity for me," said Holley, who will travel Thursday to Cincinnati for the team's mini-camp. "They did not draft a receiver this year and there are a lot of other guys I will be competing against for a spot. I'm excited."
Holley lettered four seasons at North Carolina, never missing a game, and finished eighth in career receiving yards and career receptions. A native of Roselle, N.J., Holley was third on the team with 37 receptions for 466 yards in 2006 and had his best year in 2005 when he earned honorable-mention All-ACC after catching 47 passes for 670 yards.
Worsley started 11 games in 2006 and tied for fourth on the team with 58 tackles and had 4.5 tackles for losses and 1.5 sacks.
Stay tuned to TarHeelBlue.com for any other NFL signings. Last season, Carolina ranked 12th in the country with 29 NFL players.
Hamlett was a three-year starter at tight end where he made 51 career receptions for 561 yards and four touchdowns. He had his best season in 2005, catching 21 passes for 212 yards and a score.
Kareen Taylor was a three-year starter at safety who 200 career tackles, 9.5 tackles for losses, 3.5 sacks and seven interceptions. He set a UNC career record with 206 interception return yards.
Bynum started all 12 games as a senior and finished the season with 26 tackles and three sacks. In his four-year career, he had 85 tackles, 7.5 tackles for losses and four sacks.
