We said it before and we’ll say it again: Yes, we are living in a world where North Carolina is further solidifying a Top-Five recruiting class in football. Not hoops. IN FOOTBALL.
When last we left North Carolina on the football recruiting trail, the Tar Heels held the third-ranked recruiting class in the country for the 2021 cycle. This week, UNC pulled in two more commitments, these from four-star outside linebacker Raneiria Dillworth and three-star offensive lineman Jared Wilson.
With the twin verbal, North Carolina football now has commitments from 14 2021 recruits. Of those, 11 are four-star prospects. That’s tied with Ohio State for the most in this cycle.
Of those 14 Tar Heels commitments, 13 of them played their high school football in the state of North Carolina.
For the 2020 cycle, his first at UNC, head coach Mack Brown landed nine four-star recruits. That gives him 20 (and counting) in less than two full cycles as the North Carolina football head coach. In the five cycles prior to Brown’s return to Chapel Hill, the program had signed 21 four-star recruits. Combined.
With the two commitments factored in, UNC moved from the No. 3 class in the country to the No. 2. The school that they leapfrogged? Fellow ACC member Clemson. Ohio State still holds the top-ranked 2021 class.
This century, North Carolina has never had a Top-Five recruiting class. Their highest-ranked class in that span was 10th in 2007, the first year under Butch Davis. The Tar Heels have had five other classes that were Top 20 — 2020 (19th), 2018 (20th), 2011 (18th), 2009 (12th) and 2003 (18th).
Brown, of course, is no stranger to highly-rated recruiting classes. His last 14 years as the head coach at Texas, the Longhorns finished in the Top 10 on 10 different occasions. Included among that was the top-ranked class in 2002. Brown also pulled in the No. 2 classes in 2010 and 2012.
All told, Brown had five Top-Five classes during his time in Austin.