Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Football: 4-star prospect selects Clemson over UNC and Tennessee

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches his team play against the Appalachian State Mountaineers during the second half of their game at Kenan Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Mountaineers won 34-31. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches his team play against the Appalachian State Mountaineers during the second half of their game at Kenan Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Mountaineers won 34-31. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

UNC football program misses on Greensboro’s Payton Page, as 4-star defensive tackle selects Clemson over North Carolina and Tennessee

Mack Brown and the North Carolina Tar Heels have had one heck of a run on the recruiting trail over the past year, but they can’t win them all. That’s probably how they’re feeling after 4-star defensive tackle Payton Page announced his commitment to the Clemson Tigers on Tuesday evening.

The 2021 prospect, a 6-foot-4, 360-pound Greensboro, North Carolina native, put on a Clemson-themed face mask as he announced his pledge to the Tigers over finalists North Carolina and Tennessee. Alongside Page during his commitment at Dudley High School were his family and coaching staff in front of a socially distanced crowd of friends and media.

The decision itself wasn’t a shock to anyone, including more than a dozen recruiting experts and college football insiders from both 247Sports and Rivals. There was a longstanding consensus among them that Page would choose the Tigers, helping to eliminate any drama on his long-awaited announcement day.

Clemson’s 2021 recruiting haul is currently ranked fourth in the nation according to the 247Sports 2021 team rankings, while North Carolina is sitting at No. 8. Page would have given the Tar Heels their 12th 4-star commitment of the 2021 recruiting cycle, but it’s instead Clemson that nabs its dozenth 4-star recruit, and ranks just one spot ahead of fellow finalist Tennessee.

The Tar Heels still have several irons in the fire, and hope to improve their current position in the rankings before all is said and done. Either way, they’ve solidified one of their best recruiting hauls in program history in Mack Brown’s second year back in Chapel Hill.

Next. Tar Heels offer scholarship to 4-star prospect. dark

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the UNC football program.

Home/UNC Football