UNC Football: 4-star prospect favoring Tar Heels and Gamecocks?

UNC football program battling South Carolina for 4-star in-state prospect?

The North Carolina football program has already seen the kind of difference that a change at head coach can make. Under the direction of former front man and 2005 national champion Mack Brown, the rejuvenated Tar Heels are trending up in a variety of ways.

The university announced on Wednesday that the team’s 2019 season tickets — better than 28,000 in total — had already sold out. Unlike the basketball team, sellouts are something that the football team at North Carolina rarely has to worry about. But the excitement and optimism surrounding the football program are at a level that they haven’t been at very often over the past decade.

Also adding fuel to the fire is the Tar Heels’ success on the recruiting trail of late, nabbing big-time recruits both in the state North Carolina and out. After signing three 4-star prospects in the class of 2019, the Tar Heels already have five 4-star commits from 2020 players. The class is currently ranked 15th in the nation, and they’re not even close to done yet.

Their latest and potentially closest recruiting battle is for the services of 4-star athlete Ja’Qurious Conley, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound native of Jacksonville, North Carolina. The Northside High School senior has a list of four finalists that includes Duke, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech. It’s the two Carolina schools, though, that are leading the pack in his recruitment.

"“There’s two, UNC and South Carolina are my main two,” Conley said. “They’ve just grabbed my attention more than the other two. Right now, those are my four.”"

Conley has already visited North Carolina, and taken multiple trips to South Carolina earlier this year. He’s hoping to visit Virginia Tech if time allows for it, but will take a second trip to Chapel Hill to visit the Tar Heels if circumstances only allow for a shorter trip.

Conley recorded 79 tackles and three interceptions as a safety last season, the position North Carolina would likely primarily use him at. He did, however, compile nearly 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns in various positions on offense including quarterback, running back and wide receiver.

He’s currently ranked No. 263 in the 247Sports Composite for the class of 2020. He’s the 25th-ranked safety in the class, and No. 12 in the state of North Carolina. Conley is ranked as high as No. 121 in the Top247, where he is also No. 11 among players at his position.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Ja’Qurious Conley recruitment, and everything UNC football.