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With March Madness officially behind the entire basketball world, it’s time to look forward. April is full of basketball coaches hitting the road and uncommitted recruits making their final decisions. With early departures and graduations, UNC’s staff is no different.
Not to be outdone, football programs across the country will host their biggest 2020 targets as they conclude their spring practices with open-to-the-public spring games. After taking a hiatus last season, UNC’s staff brought back the Spring Game to join in those festivities. Let’s recap the latest in UNC recruiting.
Football
- Not specific to just one player, tomorrow’s Spring Game is big deal. Mack Brown has been making his pitch for the past few months, asking fans to circle April 13th on the calendar The program and school will be hosting events throughout the day, and our own Al Hood gave you a checklist of things to watch for (if you make the trip). Full details can be found here.
We're inside one week to the Spring Game and @CoachMackBrown is fired up to see everyone on Saturday. We hope you're as excited as we are.
— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) April 8, 2019
https://t.co/7hI29TRYsH pic.twitter.com/lG1TQD8UGM
- The Spring Game will be used as another chance to sell 2020, 2021, AND 2022 recruits on UNC. Approximately 30 recruits spanning those three classes, including current Tar Heel pledges, are expected to attend. As Akil touched on last week, 4-star WR Mike Wyman will make UNC his final college visit before making a decision on April 16th. Regardless who Wyman selects, it’s a long time until December. Whether he selects perceived leader South Carolina, North Carolina, or another surprise school, he’ll remain a hot commodity.
Class of 2020 4-star @DBoyzFootball WR @MikeWyman22 will announce his college decision at 4:30 p.m. April 16 at the @WeAreDHS media center. Wyman still has visits planned to @GamecockFB on April 6 and @TarHeelFootball April 13 before his announcement. #HSXtra
— Joe Sirera (@JoeSireraNR) April 3, 2019
- 4-star defensive back, Cameron Roseman-Sinclair took home the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp defensive MVP award last weekend. Tar Heel Illustrated’s Jacob Turner spoke with the rising senior after the event. His performance solidified his status as one of the best defenders in the country. The Heels received his commitment back in January. Anthony Pagnotta gave his take on various UNC targets on his blog, Heel Tough
"I run this state on the defensive side no matter what."#UNC commit Cameron Roseman-Sinclair shined in Sunday's Rivals 3 Stripe Camp. Story via @HeelIllustrated:https://t.co/wPnay3Fgr1
— Jacob Turner (@JacobTurnerTHI) April 8, 2019
UNC Football 2020 Commitments
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | Position Rank | School | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | Position Rank | School | Location |
Ethan West | ILB | 6'4 | 225 | 4-Star | 11 | Cosby | Midlothian, VA |
Cameron Roseman-Sinclair | DB | 6'0 | 183 | 4-Star | 16 | Myers Park | Charlotte, NC |
Ray Grier | WR | 6'1 | 204 | 4-Star | 52 | South Point | Belmont, NC |
Josh Downs | WR | 5'10 | 165 | 4-Star | 67 | North Gwinnett | Suwanee, GA |
Trey Zimmerman | OT | 6'6 | 294 | 3-Star | 37 | Roswell | Roswell, GA |
Malik McGowan | OG | 6'4 | 315 | 3-Star | 57 | Charlotte Catholic | Charlotte, NC |
LaMareon James | CB | 5'10 | 170 | 3-Star | 78 | Indian River | Chesapeake, VA |
Elijah Burris | RB | 5'10 | 201 | 3-Star | 93 | Mountain Island Charter | Mount Holly, NC |
Basketball
- Starting yesterday, basketball coaches can go back on the road to recruit. The rules and dates are a little weird but Sherrell McMillan puts it best:
College coaches can recruit and evaluate prospects off campus - beginning at Noon today - through Sunday.
— Sherrell D. McMillan (@RellDMC) April 11, 2019
They have about 24 days of total off-campus evaluation days between now and mid-July. Important time for schools as they build rosters for next season, and beyond.
- The big news of the week was UNC offering a scholarship to 5-star shooting guard Jaden Springer. We detailed the offer earlier this week. A rising senior in the class of 2020, Springer was teammates with incoming Tar Heel Armando Bacot at IMG Academy, where they just won the GEICO National High School Championship. Enjoy these highlights of Springer at the tournament.
Jaden Springer's #GEICONationals tournament was something else @jadenspringer11 pic.twitter.com/1m3mEEj0sk
— Who's Next (@WhosNextHS) April 10, 2019
- No change on the announcements for Cole Anthony, Precious Achiuwa, or Matthew Hurt. The only definitive date is Hurt’s announcement on April 19th. Anthony’s commitment is expected to come at some point in the next few weeks, while Achiuwa’s could come as late as May.
- Walker Kessler, a 5-star center for 2020, made it official that he will NOT reclassify to 2019. That will help UNC’s efforts, who told Kessler that a 2019 scholarship was unlikely to be available if he entered college next semester.
- It’s should be no surprise at this point that UNC is looking at graduate transfers and players who have decommitted from their original commitments. Graduate transfers Rayjon Tucker (Arkansas Little-Rock), Christian Keeling (Charleston Southern), and Daniel Utomi (Akron), have all been contacted by UNC. All are perimeter scorers. None have scheduled an official visit to Chapel Hill.
- Yesterday, UNC extended a scholarship offer to in-state power forward Justin McKoy. A former Penn State commit, McKoy has also been contacted by numerous other ACC programs. McKoy, a 3-star recruit and ranked #87 among power forwards according to 247 Sports composite rankings, will visit UVA this weekend. The 6-8, 225-pound senior plays for Panther Creek High School in Cary, NC.
- 2020 target Greg Brown III participated in the USA Basketball camp at the Final Four and, according to Corey Evans at Rivals, continues to impress. Afterwards, he continued to profess his love for UNC. This recruitment still likely has a way to go, but North Carolina has maintained its presence near the front of the pack.
UNC Basketball 2019 Commitments
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Rank | School | Location | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Rank | School | Location | Status |
Armando Bacot | C | 6’10 | 240 | 5 Star | 20 | IMG Academy | Bradenton, FL | Signed |
Jeremiah Francis | PG | 6’3 | 190 | 3 Star | 131 | Pickerington Central | Pickerington, OH | Signed |
UNC Basketball 2019 Offers
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Rank | School | Location | Decision Day |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Rank | School | Location | Decision Day |
Cole Anthony | CG | 6'3 | 184 | 5 Star | 4 | Oak Hill Academy | Mouth of Wilson, VA | 4/22/2019 |
Matthew Hurt | PF | 6'9 | 215 | 5 Star | 8 | John Marhsall Senior | Rochester, MN | 4/19/2019 |
Precious Achiuwa | SF | 6'9 | 190 | 5 Star | 13 | Montverde Academy (FL) | Bronx, NY (hometown) | |
Anthony Harris | CG | 6'3 | 180 | 4 Star | 65 | Paul VI Catholic | Fairfax, VA | |
Justin Pierce | SF | 6'7 | 215 | Grad Transfer | 5 | William and Mary | 5/11/2019 | |
Christian Keeling | SG | 6'3 | 175 | Grad Transfer | 7 | Charleston Southern |
UNC Basketball 2020 Commitments
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Ranking | School | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Ranking | School | Location |
Day'Ron Sharpe | C | 6'10 | 246 | 4-Star | 26 | South Central | Winterville, NC |
UNC Basketball 2020 Offers
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Ranking | School | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Rating | National Ranking | School | Location |
Greg Brown III | PF | 6'7 | 185 | 5-Star | 6 | Vandegrift | Austin, TX |
Jaden Springer | SG | 6'4 | 195 | 5-Star | 12 | IMG Academy | Charlotte, NC (hometown) |
Isaiah Todd | PF | 6'10 | 195 | 5-Star | 13 | Trinity Academy | Raleigh, NC |
Walker Kessler | C | 6'10 | 225 | 5-Star | 16 | Woodward Academy | Atlanta, GA |
Jeremy Roach | PG | 6'2 | 165 | 5-Star | 17 | Paul VI Catholic | Fairfax, VA |
Ziaire Williams | SF | 6'7 | 175 | 5-Star | 20 | Notre Dame | Sherman Oaks, CA |