2024 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Don Chapman Jr., S, University of North Carolina

• Name: Don Chapman Jr
• Position: S
• College: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Height: 6’1
• Weight: 200
• Instagram: @Dcj.2

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2024 NFL Draft?

I would have to say my extensive game experiences as a 4-year starter at the University of North Carolina and my football IQ. I have seen a lot of football and understand how to run a defense and make the necessary checks. I can process all aspects of a defensive game plan.

You played at a very high level and I loved your film, what makes you the player you are today?

I love the game. I love the process, playing defense is about controlled aggression. What makes me the player I am today is as simple as the need to compete.

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome?

My life has been about adversity whether it was not having food growing up or not having a place to live staying with friends, being away from my family just trying to make it, and living in dangerous places but the hardest thing for me has been watching my mother work two jobs to support her 5 kids alone not only while they’re in her home but as adults and watching her struggle to take care of herself to take care of us is the hardest thing I’ve had to go through.

I feel you are a top prospect in your Conference but because of an off-the-field incident do you feel teams are overlooking you?

I feel that’s part of the reason, and I understand the NFL is a business, without knowing the facts or me as a person I can see how misinformation can lead them to view me as a liability over an asset.  My agent C Lamont  Smith and I are working diligently to clear up the misinformation that is out there regarding me.

In 2022, you faced a ton of scrutiny after being arrested for an incident with your pregnant wife, can you elaborate on that incident?

I had previously moved out into my own place. We had been going back and forth about being together or calling a quits. Before the night of my arrest, she showed up at my place where she hit me in the face and tried damaging my car I had it on camera so the next time she showed up with her friends kicking my door and trying to get into my place I called the police showed them the video which resulted in them putting a warrant out for her arrest.

On the night in question, we decided it was best to completely come to a quits so I drove over to our old place dropped off her things in the garage then used my key to enter the house. As I entered the house I saw her run from the kitchen to the couch she reached over crying and grabbed a gun, putting it to her head. She was screaming saying things like I can’t do this anymore, I can’t do life, I’ve lost everything so, I slowly approached her to try and talk her down and reassure her. I got kind of close and I grabbed her by her shoulder and grabbed her wrist to take the gun from her there was a big commotion, but I got the gun from her and I started trying to leave.

“This was not my gun”

This is when she calls her friend and tries to prevent me from leaving because the gun was registered to her friend’s dad. Amid the screaming and commotion, her friend decided to call the police. I left and placed the gun in her vehicle under her seat. I came back not long after to make sure she was alright and hadn’t hurt herself then the police showed up and began to question us.

They ran our names and put her in cuffs and that’s when she began saying I physically abused her. We both went to jail and were released the next day. Our lawyers worked out an agreement where we both agreed to not press charges and walk away which is ultimately how my charges were dropped.

Not only were they dropped, it has been expunged from my record.

If an NFL team was reading this right now what is one thing that they should know about you?

I’m a man of my faith and I am committed to laying everything on the line for God, my son/family, and football.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

The best advice I received would have to be “Life is about Habits and Behaviors, how you do anything is how you do everything, stay disciplined and stay the course.”

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?

I would donate to a cause of feeding the less fortunate whether that is the homeless or the less fortunate kids who have a home but don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

What is your degree in?

My degree is in Exercise and Sports Science

If you could sell yourself in one sentence what would you say?

I am coming to work and I’m grateful for the opportunities that lay ahead of me, whatever I can do for the team without a doubt you can count on me to do whatever is necessary.

If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be?

That’s hard for me in my 4 years as a starter I’ve played corner, nickel, money, and both safety spots, my versatility makes it hard for me to pick one player.

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Ed Reed because of how dominant of a player he was on defense special teams played with a fire inside and saw things the average guy doesn’t see and would love to sit down and eat with a great. My younger self because in life it’s easy to forget how far I have come and at times I forget to celebrate the small victories when truly it’s a blessing to just take it day by day and enjoy the process.