Chazz Surratt

Chazz Surratt's Biography

Chazz Surratt, born February 16, 1997, is a celebrated American football linebacker for the New York Jets, a National Football League (NFL) team. His journey unfolds from his central roots in Denver, North Carolina, to his prominent standing in the NFL.

Surratt’s football journey began at East Lincoln High School in Denver, North Carolina, where he quickly made a name for himself as a highly regarded quarterback. His exceptional performance secured him a spot in first-team Associated Press (AP) all-state selection, not just once but twice. Once he stepped into senior year, various accolades followed. With the AP naming him Offensive Player of the Year in North Carolina, Parade going on to crown him National Player of the Year and a Parade All-American.

Tar Heel coach Larry Fedora noticed his elevated abilities and recruited him for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Surratt played his initial season as a redshirt, positioned as a quarterback. He eventually replaced Brandon Harris in his redshirt freshman season, who was experiencing difficulties at the beginning of the season. But like his predecessor, Surratt faced a fair share of obstacles too, prominent among them was his inconsistency. Also, he was plagued with injuries and appeared in a mere nine games, just starting seven.

A suspension in the early 2018 season forced him to the bench again. This time, as Nathan Elliott’s backup, he only got the chance to appear in a single game throughout his redshirt sophomore season. However, this proved to be another setback as he found himself succumbing to a season-ending injury while playing against Miami.

When the prospect of leaving the University for better opportunities to play as a quarterback dawned with the return of Head Coach Mack Brown in 2019, Surratt embraced change instead. He chose to switch to linebacker rather than transfer universities, even with the formidable talents Howell, Fortin, and Ruder vying for the quarterback position. This decision to play as a linebacker turned out to be significant and got the spotlight back on him with his unrivaled performance in the season-ending game against rival Duke University.

2019 proved to be a prosperous year on his sports career, with Surratt actively participating in all thirteen games. He marked impressive statistics with 115 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. His exquisite performance earned him the honor of first-team All-ACC. Sustaining the top-class gameplay, he played in 11 games in 2020, wrapping up the season with 91 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovered.

The 2021 NFL Draft was an opportunity he had been waiting for. By opting out of the Orange Bowl against Texas A&M to train and prepare, Surratt got picked by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round (78th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Although his initial placement in the NFL started as a competition against Nick Vigil and Blake Lynch for inside linebacker, he was employed as backup inside linebacker by the end of the preseason behind Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, and Nick Vigil. Surratt’s rookie season ended with him playing in 9 games exclusively on special teams but without any defensive snaps.

Facing another test in his career, he competed against rookie Brian Asamoah for backup inside linebacker during training, but his performance in the Viking’s preseason games led the team to release him on August 30, 2022. Despite the setback, Surratt found his place in the New York Jets’ practice squad, where he was signed on September 1, 2022. His journey with the Jets was stamped with a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023.

Worth noting, family talent runs high in the Surratts as Chazz’s younger brother, Sage Surratt was an all-conference wide receiver for Wake Forest University. Following his brother’s footsteps, Chazz Surratt continues to pave his own path in the NFL, setting an example of resilience, adaptability, and talent for future NFL stars.