bgorman@heraldsun.com; 4190-6668
CHAPEL HILL -- If there was improper contact between North Carolina football players and agents, two former Tar Heels said they saw none of it this past season.
Defensive end E.J. Wilson, who was taken by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the NFL draft in April, and defensive tackle Cam Thomas, who was a fifth-round pick by the San Diego Chargers, both said they never were offered money or benefits from agents
"As far as I know, while I was there in that program, none of that was going on," Wilson said. "So all of this stuff is actually kind of a surprise to me, because while I was there, none of that stuff was going on."
Wilson said he has heard many different things concerning the investigation into the UNC football program but didn't want to get into details.
"I'm not in a position to be giving out specific names and stuff because I wasn't in the meeting," Wilson said. "I'm not involved with it, and I really don't want to put anyone out there like that."
Wilson said he has spoken with Marvin Austin and Greg Little, who reportedly are the focus of the NCAA's interest, but didn't bring up the investigation because he said it's something they have to handle themselves. Thomas said he also has talked to the pair, but not about the NCAA.
"I don't want to talk about that with them because they are already stressing," Thomas said. "I didn't want to make them more stressed with people keep asking them the same questions, so I don't even deal with it."
Wilson said UNC helped prepare him for dealing with agents -- including hosting an agent day on April 10 -- and made it clear what was and was not illegal. Wilson said he avoided the distraction of agents until after the Tar Heels' bowl game and didn't sign with an agent until January.
"It is pretty crazy," Wilson said. "You've got people pulling at you all this way and that way, trying to distract you. But I let everyone know during the recruiting process that my most important thing was [to] focus on the season, because no matter what agent I'm talking to, if I don't have a good season, I won't be in the position to even need an agent because teams won't really be interested in me."
ESPN has reported that the NCAA is concentrating on a party held in Miami earlier this summer that Austin, South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders and Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus might have attended. The NCAA reportedly is looking into who paid for the trips and their expenses while there.
Little's dad, Greg Little Sr., told media outlets Tuesday that his son and Austin took a trip to Miami for spring break in March, but he paid his son's expenses.
When reached Wednesday, Greg Little Sr. said he couldn't talk any more about it.
But Twitter photos dated May 15 and posted by Natalie Nunn, who was on the reality show "Bad Girls Club," show Austin and Little at a pool party in Miami. Austin is in the background of a photo that features San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, and another photo that appears to be from the same party features Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, who was part of the "Love Boat Scandal" in 2005.
Austin and Davis went to rival high schools in Washington, D.C., and graduated three years apart.
Wilson said he knew some Tar Heels went to Miami for spring break in March but didn't know anything about the May trip. He said he doesn't feel like he can pass judgment on the whole situation right now because he doesn't know any of the details, but he hopes no one is ruled ineligible for the coming season.
"Some guys may be confused [by the agent rules], some guys may not," Wilson said. "That's a judgment call. You got to do what you feel is right."
