UNC Basketball: Tar Heels trailing in Trevor Keels recruitment?

Roy Williams and the UNC basketball program continue to search for elite perimeter players, but may not find one in 5-star shooting guard Trevor Keels.

In an attempt to reel in at least one of the top perimeter players from the class of 2021, Roy Williams and the North Carolina basketball program have extended scholarship offers to a handful of the nation’s best guards and wings.

Among those to receive a North Carolina offer are Kennedy Chandler, whose high-profile recruitment ended late last week with a commitment to the Tennessee Volunteers. Harrison Ingram and Patrick Baldwin, Jr. — a pair of UNC offer recipients and fellow 5-star small forwards — aren’t expected to pick the Tar Heels by the time their respective recruitments are over. 5-star combo guard Hunter Sallis and 4-star shooting guard D’Marco Dunn, on the other hand, are both looking fairly favorable for North Carolina for the time being.

But where does that leave Trevor Keels? He’s the lone remaining perimeter player in the 2021 class that holds an offer from the Tar Heels, and he might be the best shooter of them all. Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, however, it looks like a pair of rival schools may be in the lead for Keels’ commitment.

"“Michigan is definitely still in it for Trevor Keels, but Duke and Villanova are the two to beat,” Rivals’ Corey Evans writes. “Keels has said very little, at least publicly, about where things stand with his recruitment but it would come as a mild surprise if he did not pick the Blue Devils or Wildcats in the end. Michigan has remained in touch, as has North Carolina and Virginia, but it will not be easy to top Duke or Villanova. I wouldn’t hold my breath if I was a Wolverine fan.”"

A rising senior from Fairfax, Virginia, Keels has nearly two-dozen scholarship offers from some of the country’s premier basketball programs. Among them are Duke, Florida, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Seton Hall, Villanova and Virginia. And since he’s yet to compile a list of finalists or indicate when he might make a college decision, it stands to reason that his list of potential future schools will continue to grow.

A 6-foot-5, 210-pound shooting guard at Paul VI Catholic, Keels is an athletic player that can score from all three levels. He’s got great strength for a shooting guard, and length that should help him create mismatches on both ends of the court. He’s a solid rebounder for his position, and a capable defender. He’s currently ranked No. 16 in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s second among shooting guards in the class, and No. 1 in the state of Virginia.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Trevor Keels recruitment, and everything UNC basketball.