Last week, Akil gave you a quick update about UNC football’s focus on the class of 2020. This past weekend the program hosted a Junior Day, where some of the staff’s highest priority targets were invited to watch Louisville demolish the Heels on the basketball court. That hasn’t led to any direct commitments, but there was some movement, as we point out below.

In addition to the 2020 recruits, a number of 2019 targets were invited for their official visits. The football staff still have a handful of scholarships remaining, and they used the weekend to make one more final push at positions of need. Those efforts have already resulted in two new Tar Heels, bringing the 2019 class to 21 total commitments. The other 19 players signed their LOI in December.

Basketball has remained relatively quiet. At the moment, the coaching staff is awaiting final word from their current offers for 2019 before fully focusing on 2020 recruits.

Football

• North Carolina’s big recruiting weekend saw two key targets pledge their allegiance to the Heels. The first to pop was 6’3”, 310 pound Ty Murray. A 3-star offensive lineman from Georigia, Murray flipped from Louisville and gave Mack Brown his verbal commitment just one day after he visited UNC.
• The second commitment was JUCO defensive end, Ray Vohasek. Standing at 6’4” and 255 pounds, Vohasek was originally targeted by the former staff. The new coaches remained committed and that loyalty was reciprocated. Vohasek is the rare JUCO recruit who will have three years of eligibility, and can provide versatility and depth to a revamped defensive line.
• Vohasek and Murray’s commitments helped push North Carolina to the #35 recruiting class in the country, per 247 Sports’ composite ranking. There are 3-5 more prospects that could push that ranking higher by the end of signing day on February 6.
• Prior to the official visits, the staff received good news when former 2018 recruit Brant Lawless officially enrolled at UNC last week. After he initially qualified and flipped to UNC late last summer, he did not enroll and his status was largely unknown. It now appears Lawless, a former four-star defensive tackle is ready to begin his college career. Despite missing this past season, he still has four seasons of eligibility remaining.

• While there was no immediate movement with the class of 2020 after this weekend’s Junior Day, there was one notable de-commitment. Kedrick Bingley-Jones withdrew his commitment to the University of Florida. He made the announcement on Twitter, just three days after unofficially visiting UNC. The four-star 6’4”, 245 pound defensive lineman from Charlotte is a top-10 player in the state of North Carolina. If he chooses the good guys, it would be a much needed boost to UNC’s recruiting in-state efforts for next December and February.

Basketball

• It has been quiet since Roy Williams offered 5-star 2019 power forward Precious Achiuwa. At this point, the coaching staff is waiting for decisions from any of their current targets. Small forward Keion Brooks is believed to be the closest to a decision, but there is no definite timeline. Depending on what recruiting service you prefer, what recruiting analyst you believe, what side of the bed you woke up on, and what you had for breakfast last Monday, it is thought that Indiana, Michigan State, and North Carolina all equally lead for Brooks’ services. That probably means he will pick Kentucky, right? Isn’t that how this works? (Note: Recruiting is so weird)
• Anthony Edwards is the most talented player currently on UNC’s board for the 2019 class. For more insight, check out what SBN’s own Ricky O’Donnell discovered about Edwards and his game. Then see what Edwards had to say about UNC’s program, and why they are in his final five. It needs to be reiterated that Edwards reclassified from the 2020 class. Those usually don’t break in North Carolina’s favor and a player usually already has a destination in mind when they decide to reclass. But hey, a little hope never hurt, right?