UNC is in a good place with 2018 five-star talent Ricky Slade. The running back recently released his top 5 schools, and UNC made the cut alongside Florida, Virginia Tech, Penn State, and Tennessee.
Standing in at five-foot-nine and 180 pounds, Slade is ranked the 20th overall prospect in the national composite for his class. He is also considered the best overall all-purpose back and the No. 2 talent out of his home state of Virginia.
Clocked at 4.48 on his 40, his strengths include his ability to accelerate, as well as his foot quickness and vision. Scout.com compliments Slade on his quickness and instincts, calling attention to how much he “understands how to attack defenses and has a high football I.Q. Overall, there's not much he doesn't do at an extremely high level. He is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country.”
TOP 5️⃣ ... pic.twitter.com/mMarw1UJdR
— 3️⃣ (@TheSlade_Era) August 20, 2016
North Carolina has been on him for awhile now. They offered him back in November, bringing him in for a visit soon after, then again in February for junior day. He currently holds 26 offers, but it should be warned that Slade has left the door open for other schools to recruit him who have not yet done so. He has already shot down the likes of Ohio State, Clemson, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State, NC State, and Virginia, so it’s hard to see another college entering the fray and blowing him away.
The 2018 class already includes cornerbacks Donte Burton and D.J. Crossen, but getting Ricky Slade to commit to UNC would be the crown jewel of the class. As a player this talented and highly regarded, it’s important that the Tar Heels pull out all the stops and get him down to Chapel Hill sooner rather than later.