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Tar Heels' Balmer may go early in NFL Draft
Some analysts say that defensive tackle might be taken in first round
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Published: April 24, 2008
Kentwan Balmer has risen steadily on NFL Draft charts in his last year at North Carolina, despite never having played on a team with a winning record.
He has a chance of being picked during Saturday's first two rounds of the draft, perhaps even late in the first round.
He is elated to be in such a promising draft position and is confident that he can play in the NFL, but reaching this point has proved to be an arduous endeavor.
"It's an exciting time, but it's also frustrating and making me nervous," Balmer said. "I'm an emotional wreck. There's a lot of unknowns right now. It's crazy."
Scout Inc. ranked Balmer, a 6-5, 295-pound defensive tackle, the No. 20 prospect this week in its draft evaluations.
Being selected in any round would be a significant development in Balmer's career. He grew up in Weldon, a small town in Eastern North Carolina. He went to a high school that is among the smallest in the state.
Balmer wasn't a project when he arrived at North Carolina, but he did have to refine his skills. He developed into one of the team's top defensive players through four years of determined work on the practice field.
"I'm hearing that it's a big deal (back home), but I'm not trying to look at it like that," Balmer said. "I'm looking at it like hard work and discipline pay off. I'm not trying to get the big head. And I'm trying to not get real, real nervous about the situation."
No Tar Heels were selected in last year's draft, and only one, defensive lineman Chase Page, has been taken in the last two drafts. The Tar Heels haven't had a player selected in the first round since 2002, when defensive end Julius Peppers and defensive tackle Ryan Sims were taken in the first six picks.
Balmer was the Tar Heels' second-leading tackler last season, playing in a new defense under first-year Coach Butch Davis. Balmer had 59 tackles, 33 of which were unassisted. He had 9.5 tackles for losses of 44 yards. He had 3.5 sacks for losses that totaled 26 yards.
Balmer was named to the All-ACC second team. He isn't exceptionally quick but his size appeals to NFL scouts. Draft evaluations indicate that scouts are confident that Balmer can play on a defense that uses either three or four players on the line.
Scouts have said that Balmer has only started to develop his ability. Davis said that any team that drafts Balmer will land a dedicated worker.
"Prior to this past season, BLESTO (a scouting organization) and some of the other scouting reports didn't even have Kentwan as a free agent," Davis said. "He's got an opportunity to become a first-round draft choice. I think it's a testament to him, his work ethic, his character and the performance that he had this year on the field."
Balmer visited nine NFL teams preparatory to the draft, among them the Philadelphia Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings, the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints.
He was unable to determine if any of the nine teams is set on taking him Saturday or in Sunday's later rounds. Officials in several organizations told him that he should not have a long wait Saturday.
Balmer relied on Davis' four years of NFL coaching experience to try to understand what might happen in the draft. He also called former Tar Heels Jason Brown, David Thornton, Willie Parker, Tommy Davis and Page.
Brown, a three-year veteran with the Ravens at center and guard, talked to Balmer for almost two hours. Thornton, a linebacker with the Titans who formerly played for the Colts, offered advice that Balmer thought important.
"He said, ‘Don't put too much pressure on yourself,'" Balmer said. "He said to be patient. He said to believe on Saturday that wherever I end up is going to be my destiny. It's in God's hands, and I've done all I can do to be as prepared as I can."
Balmer will be in Chapel Hill this weekend, accompanied by family, friends and teammates. He never had a favorite NFL team while growing up and won't be waiting for a particular team to take him.
"I'm just a fan of the game," he said. "I love seeing two teams go out there and compete so it's really not one place that I would rather be. Whoever drafts me, that's going to be the team that I want to go to."
■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com.
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