UNC football in far different position on signing day amid coaching search, NIL changes
North Carolina football finds itself in a vastly different position on this year’s National Signing Day.
Just a year ago, UNC celebrated a top-25 recruiting class nationally, ranked No. 25 by 247Sports and fourth in the ACC behind Florida State, Miami and Clemson. This year, however, the Tar Heels’ 2025 class sits at the bottom of the ACC rankings, with just six signed players and an uncertain outlook following Mack Brown’s departure as head coach — announced Nov. 26.
Freddie Kitchens, who has served as UNC’s run game coordinator and tight ends coach for the past two seasons, was named interim head coach Sunday. This coaching change and evolving recruiting landscape have compounded UNC’s challenges.
“We signed 26 kids two years ago, and not one of them got a penny…. now, the money is different,” Brown said on Saturday. “We lost three or four recruits at the end of this year, in the last two or three weeks, because they got paid. And we asked them and they said they got paid.”
Despite the struggles, Brown expressed optimism for the program’s future, pointing to increased NIL resources under the next head coach.
“He’ll have a better situation than we did with NIL because of revenue sharing,” Brown said. “We had about $4 million, and he’s going to have at least 12.”
Here’s a look at UNC’s 2025 recruiting class so far:
Top-rated recruit
Top-100 overall prospect Bryce Baker — UNC’s top-rated recruit — has postponed his final decision and will not sign on Wednesday, as reported by multiple outlets. Originally committed to UNC under Brown, Baker is now weighing options after Brown’s dismissal, with Penn State and LSU emerging as serious contenders.
Baker’s father told Rivals that, while Baker remains committed to UNC, their family is taking time to evaluate all options after a productive visit to Penn State and ongoing talks with LSU. With Baker’s high school East Forsyth still in the playoffs, the quarterback plans to take some extra time to make his final decision.
Player who could impact early
Demon June, a 5-foot-11, 225-pound running back from Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, North Carolina, could make an immediate impact for North Carolina in 2025 if he follows through on his commitment and joins the Tar Heels. With all-ACC running back Omarion Hampton likely heading to the NFL Draft, June has an opportunity to contribute to a backfield in need of both depth and power.
After Brown’s departure as head coach, June visited Florida State last weekend and could flip to the Seminoles instead.
His physical running style could complement returner Davion Gause. June’s readiness to compete — he tallied 407 rushing yards and six touchdowns in a single game in October — makes him a strong candidate to earn early reps in UNC’s running back corps.
Most intriguing
Byron Nelson, a 6-foot-3, 295-pound offensive guard from Katy, Texas, stands out as UNC’s most intriguing 2025 recruit. After receiving an offer during his official visit this summer, Nelson committed shortly thereafter and signed on Wednesday.
A multi-sport athlete, Nelson also competes in track and field, posting a 50-4.5 shot put mark as a junior and a 121-9 discus throw as a sophomore.
His versatility make him a promising prospect during UNC’s offensive line rebuild.
Top local recruit
Trey Blue, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive tackle from Cary High, is UNC’s top local recruit for the 2025 class. He signed on Wednesday. Once a freshman focused on car shows rather than football, Blue transformed into one of Wake County’s top prospects.
His size, agility and strength — as well as his growth as a leader — make him a standout prospect.
Signed players
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | Hometown | High school |
| Javion Butts | S | 6-0 | 180 | Gray, Ga. | Jones County |
| Devin Ancrum | DL | 6-3 | 295 | Hoschton, Ga | Mill Creek |
| Byron Nelson | OL | 6-2 | 295 | Katy, Texas | Katy |
| Trey Blue | OL | 6-5 | 310 | Cary | Cary |
| Evan Haynes | WR | 6-3 | 200 | Roswell, Ga. | Fellowship Christian |
| Kamden Laudenslager | DE | 6-3 | 215 | Owings Mills, Md, | McDonogh School |
Committed, unsigned players
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | Hometown | High school |
| Bryce Baker | QB | 6-2 | 195 | Kernersville | East Forsyth |
| Austin Alexander | DE | 6-3 | 243 | Union, Ky | Cooper |
| Julien Horton | S | 6-0 | 175 | Bel Air, Md. | Bel Air |
| Demon June | RB | 5-11 | 225 | Jacksonville | Jacksonville |
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 3:58 PM.
