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On any snap, Deunta Williams has good reason to feel optimistic North Carolina's defense will make a big play.
On one side is a cornerback who could be a second-round NFL draft pick next year. In front of him are a pair of linebackers who could go even higher. And in front of that duo are two linemen projected as likely first-rounders.
It's a defense that has a chance to special, one of those rare elite units.
The squad ranked among the nation's best last year and has carried the load for the Tar Heels as coach Butch Davis enters his fourth season at North Carolina.
The Tar Heels aren't trying to temper expectations of perfection and frequent shutouts.
''It's not unrealistic and we shouldn't think that's it unrealistic,'' said Williams, a safety also projected as a high draft pick. ''With our defense, I've got to believe that anything is possible.''
How much success UNC's defense has could depend on the NCAA investigation into whether defensive tackle Marvin Austin received improper benefits from agents. Yet even if Austin is sidelined, the Tar Heels still can be among the Atlantic Coast Conference's top units.
Austin, Williams, linebackers Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant, and cornerback Kendric Burney all decided in January to return for their senior seasons instead of heading to the NFL. Meanwhile, junior Robert Quinn (11 sacks in 2009) could be the top draft prospect of them all as a potentially elite pass rusher.
''I expect them to improve,'' Davis said. ''If there are any kids on our defense that think they're absolutely the very best they can be, they're kidding themselves because there's room for every one of them to be a better football player.''
Still, Todd McShay, the director of college scouting for ESPN Scouts Inc., compared North Carolina's potential NFL talent on defense to the USC unit of 2008 that had a pair of first rounders in linebackers Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews to headline eight Trojans defenders picked in the 2009 draft.
McShay grades Quinn and Austin as ''pretty close to surefire'' first-rounders; Carter, Sturdivant and Williams as late first- or early second-rounders; and Burney as a possible second-round pick. Even relatively unheralded cornerback Charles Brown grades out as a possible fourth- or fifth-rounder.
Meanwhile, in ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s list of the nation's top-five returning players at each position, Austin, Quinn, Carter and Sturdivant were all No. 1, while Williams was No. 5.
''They're still growing up,'' McShay said. ''They're not perfect yet, but there's just so much talent.''
McShay cited last year's win against Miami, saying he studied the film and noticed the Tar Heels generated enough pressure with their line that they didn't have to bring extra rushers for the first three quarters.
''You just can't find many defenses that can do that,'' he said. ''So you're consistently dropping seven (into coverage) and still getting pressure, and I think that's key. If teams find a way to protect their quarterback against that front four, that's when that defense has had some trouble.''
And yes - despite ranking sixth nationally in total defense (270 yards), 10th against the run (96 yards), 13th in scoring defense (17 points) and 14th against the pass (174 yards) while scoring six defensive touchdowns - the Tar Heels had some head-scratching moments last year.
The defense lost its composure late as Florida State's Christian Ponder completed 33 of 40 passes for 395 yards to cap a big rally in a 30-27 win. In a 28-27 loss to injury-ravaged rival North Carolina State, Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson (four passing TDs) had his way with the Tar Heels for the second straight year.
Then, in the Meineke Bowl, the Tar Heels allowed Dion Lewis to run for 159 yards and couldn't get a stop on Pittsburgh's 17-play drive that lasted nearly 9 minutes and set up the winning field goal in the final minute.
Davis is quick to point out that, while North Carolina was the third nationally in third-down defense, it allowed an ''atrocious'' 5 yards per play on first down. He also said the Tar Heels had 17 potential turnovers on first down that got away when a defender dropped an interception or didn't recover a loose fumble.
The Tar Heels know they can do better and even talk openly about their goal of being the nation's top defense. Now they have to turn potential into onfield results.
''In any good defense, the ultimate goal is to be No. 1 in the country,'' Carter said. ''When we first got back (for training camp), Coach showed us a lot of missed opportunities we lost and we've just got to capitalize on them. We're that close to being No. 1.''
