The ACC's best recruiting class for 2011, at least so far, just might be in Chapel Hill according to Jamie Newberg of ESPN Recruiting.
The Heels have brought in three top-25 classes in Butch Davis' four years and has eight four-star prospects in those committed for this year. "Few, if any, teams in the ACC have that type of class right now", writes Newberg.
Among the four-star talent headed to Carolina are WR T. J. Thorpe, QB Marquise Williams, RB Travis Riley, and TE Eric Ebron, along with QB Everett Golson, OL Landon Turner, DB Tim Scott, and OL Kiaro Holts.
When Mack Brown arrived in 1988 to revive the moribund UNC program, he made it a point to win the in-state battles, both on the field and in recruiting. Brown made the Heels nationally relevant with local players and those from Carolina's traditional recruiting grounds in Virginia and South Carolina. It would appear that Davis is putting the Mack Brown strategy into play, at least on the recruiting side.
Thorpe, Williams, Riley, and Ebron are all from the state of North Carolina. Golson, Turner, and Scott are from South Carolina and Virginia. Of the four-stars, only Holts is from outside the usual recruiting sphere. UNC appears to have regained in-state supremacy in recruiting by following the Brown plan; fans hope the level of success under Brown will follow.
The complete list of UNC commitments can be found here.