Julius Peppers - Definition and Overview

Julius Peppers (born January 18, 1980) is an American football player from Bailey, North Carolina.

Peppers played defensive end at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he won the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation's top defensive player in 2001. Possessing an unusual amount of quickness and agility for a defensive lineman, Peppers also played basketball for the Tar Heels, providing valuable minutes to a team that reached the Final Four.

In the 2002 NFL draft, Peppers was selected by the Carolina Panthers as the second overall pick. Peppers made an immediate impact and was named The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. On October 13, 2002, Peppers became only the third player in NFL history to amass three sacks and an interception in the same game.

Peppers may be the most important member of the Carolina Panthers' defensive line, which some experts say is the best in football.