2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Don Chapman, DB, North Carolina
Player Data
| Name, Jersey # | Don Chapman, #2 |
| School (Code) | NCUN |
| DOB, Class Yr | 05/01/2001, Fifth-Year Senior. |
| Height, Weight | 6010, 200 |
| 40 Yd Dash | 4.63 |
| Position/Depth | FS, #1 |
| Honors/Captainship | 2020 ACC All-Academic Team |
| Season Viewed (yr) | 2023 |
| Games Watched | @SCUN, NCAP, @SCCL, @NCST, WVUN |
| Scout Name / Date | Ryan Vidales 02/27/24 |
Per Year Stats
| 2023 | 13 GP (13 GS), 64 Tkls, 4.5 TFL, 1.0 Sk, 2 INT, 3 PBU |
| 2022 | 11 GP (1 GS), 32 Tkls, 3 PBU, 1 FF |
| 2021 | 8 GP (4 GS), 28 Tkls, 0.5 TFL, 3 PBU |
| 2020 | 11 GP (11 GS), 48 Tkls, 4.0 TFL, 2.0 Sks, 1 INT, 3 PBU |
| 2019 | 13 GP (4 GS), 30 Tkls, 1.5 TFL, 1.0 Sk, 2 INT, 3 PBU, 1 FF |
Player Summary:
Fifth-year safety with desirable height/weight measurements, broad shoulders, a well-developed upper half, and slender, narrow lowers. Appeared in 56 career games, including 33 starts, in five seasons at UNC. Started 13 games at Free Safety in North Carolina’s base 4-2-5 defense in 2023. Also lines up as a Dimeback in six-defensive back formations.
Chapman is a perceptive DB with active pre-snap instincts and sharp FBI to establish proper alignment and leverage before the ball is snapped. Productive run defender who possesses an instant trigger & an aggressive play temperament to come down from his safety spot and fill interior rushing lanes. Exhibits striking power and high-end contact courage to generate explosive hits at the point of impact. When he lines up in the second level, he combatively takes on blocks with forceful play strength to manufacture congestion in short-yardage situations. Offers solid burst to close to fly down the alley and cover the flats. Uses swift play speed and acceleration to create advantageous pursuit angles when tracking long runs down the perimeter. His pursuit angles are more sporadic when attacking downhill, which leads to occasional missed tackles in one-on-one situations in the open field. Still, he displays serviceable range and a willing motor to pursue the ball to all ranges as a deep safety. Offers an efficient, controlled backpedal to gain depth and stay on top of vertical concepts. Shows slight hip stiffness when changing direction and transitioning out of his pedal. Provides requisite make-up speed to recover and re-establish competitive positioning if he falls a step behind at the stem. Flashes adept reactionary quickness and physical hand use to maintain a tight cushion at the top of the route while in phase. Presents astute spatial awareness to cover high-low passing windows. Keeps his eyes on the quarterback to give himself the chance to cut off the ball before it reaches the catch point. Approaches errant throws with strong ball reactions and confident hands-catching ability. A well-seasoned special teamer with extensive experience on kickoff and punt coverage. His ST versatility should serve him well early in his career at the next level.
Scheme Fit:
Although Chapman earned the majority of his defensive snaps at Free Safety, his most alluring skills & traits make him a more ideal fit for the Big Nickel position in 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 packages.
Power Statement:
Chapman’s poignant affect in the run game, man coverage upside, quality burst to close to trigger down to the flats, and high-level toughness to withstand/absorb substantial contact in the first level creates an intriguing Big Nickel prospect with effective position versatility and noteworthy special teams value.
