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Dazz Newsome Drafted by Chicago Bears

WR is fifth Tar Heel selected in 2021

UNC wide receiver Dazz Newsome was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 37th pick in the sixth round, number 221 overall.

Newsome was the fifth Tar Heel selected in the draft and the fourth offensive player. It’s the first time that five Heels were drafted since 2017. That was also the last time the Bears drafted a Tar Heel—Mitchell Trubisky in the first round of the 2017 draft.

Newsome played four years with the Tar Heels, finishing with 188 catches for 2,435 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also scored twice on run plays. His best season was his junior year, when he had 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“Dazz is not a big guy,” NFL insider Jim Mora said in his scouting report on Newsome. “He plays a little bit bigger than his size. The main issue with Dazz is when you’re an undersized guy like that, you have to have an attribute that people really value—one redeeming quality. And Dazz isn’t terribly undersized, don’t get me wrong. Typically it’s speed, and his speed is marginal. Now, he can get open. He has strong hands. He fights for the ball. He has good run after the catch. He shows toughness. He’s a guy that concentrates well. He can make the challenge catch, but teams are going to want more speed. I think he’s going to be a third-day guy, but I feel pretty certain he’ll get drafted. When you have toughness and the grit he has, I think there’s a place for it in the NFL.