DeFonte Coleman brought hard-hitting safety play and steady improvement to UNC
In the 2002 season, DeFonte Coleman emerged as a physical, reliable strong safety for North Carolina, finishing third on the team with 78 tackles, plus an interception and two pass breakups. UNC’s own notes called him a hard hitter with good athleticism, and they highlighted that he fought back from a shoulder injury earlier in his career to win and keep a starting role. That combination of toughness, improvement, and run support makes him the kind of defender coaches trust when they want a tone-setter in the secondary.
