UNC Recruiting: Tar Heels’ 2019 class could look a lot like this
Jeremiah Francis
Jeremiah Francis is North Carolina’s lone commitment in the class of 2019, and he wasted no time giving his pledge to Roy Williams and the Tar Heels.
Francis committed to North Carolina in August of 2017, months before the start of his junior season at Pickerington Central High School in Pickerington, Ohio. Despite holding scholarship offers from over a dozen schools including Florida State, Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, Francis spent little time deliberating and committed to UNC just nine days after getting the call from Williams.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Francis is the No. 53 player in the class of 2019 according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s the fifth-ranked point guard in the class and the No. 2 player in the state of Ohio.
Given the current make-up of the UNC back court, Francis figures to be a contributor in Chapel Hill from day one. But he’s also the type of player that Williams can build his team around for the next several years.
Francis is a talented basketball player, particularly from an offensive standpoint. He’s a gifted scorer with the ability to finish at the rim, and the strength to play through contact. He’s also a good distributor, and works to get his teammates involved.
The most valuable thing that Francis brings to North Carolina, though, may not even be a measurable attribute.
Francis has a high basketball I.Q. and makes good decisions on the court. He’s an unselfish player and always puts his team first. When he arrives in Chapel Hill, he’ll quickly adhere to the Tar Heels’ style of play and strengthen the locker room. He possesses many of the same traits as former Tar Heels Marcus Paige and Joel Berry II, which should bode well for UNC fans.
By the time he arrives on campus in 2019, the UNC back court will likely be heavily anchored by a senior Seventh Woods, and the sophomore duo of Coby White and Rechon Black. If Woods is able to handle the lion’s share of point guard responsibilities – something that’s yet to be seen – then White will probably be alongside him at the two-guard.
Barring tremendous growth and progress from reserve point guard K.J. Smith, or a number of other variables, Black would likely be the first ball-handler off the UNC bench. Francis would be next in line.
His minutes aren’t likely to amount to much in year one with the Tar Heels, but the experience he gains will be invaluable for a player who will end up running the North Carolina offense later in his career.