Julius Frazier Peppers is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . Nicknamed The Freak Of Nature he played college football for the University of North Carolina, and earned All-American honors. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, and has played professionally for the Panthers and Chicago Bears. The youngest of three siblings, Peppers was born in Wilson, North Carolina, and raised in nearby Bailey. By the time he was a freshman at Bailey's Southern Nash Senior High School, Peppers had grown to... 6 ft 5 in , 225 lb . Ray Davis, the football coach at Southern Nash, felt that Peppers would be an asset on the gridiron for the Firebirds, despite the fact that Peppers had never played football before. Davis' gamble would pay off. During his high school career, Peppers played running back and defensive lineman, finished his career with 3,501 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns, and was one of the most dangerous defensive linemen in the state. He also lettered in basketball and was voted All-Conference as a power forward for four consecutive years.
more