UNC Football: Tar Heels 2020 commit named to All-Freshman Team

A 2020 UNC Football commit was named to the preseason All-Freshman Team ahead of the start of the new campaign in just under two weeks

In his first season back as head coach of the UNC Football program, Mack Brown turned a corner with this team.

It was only a 7-6 finish capped off with their first bowl win since 2013 but it feels like the Tar Heels are a team that has figured it out and could make a big run in 2020. Brown and his staff have really done a good job with the program both on and off the field.

While the play on the field has improved, Brown’s recruiting skills have also come into play with two very good classes so far. The team will welcome in a Top 30 recruiting class headlined by a lot of talent on the defensive side of the football.

Among those recruits who are in the 2020 recruiting class is four-star safety Ja’Qurious Conley out of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Playing at Northside High School, Conley was a standout throughout his high school career and earned some recognition as being the seventh-best player in the entire state.

Now as he moves to the college level, he’s earning some more recognition.

Barton Simmons of 247 Sports put out his True Freshman All-America Team for the 2020 season and included Conley among the five defensive backs on the team.  Here is what Simmons had to say about Conley:

"For this team, we trot out a traditional nickel in Malcolm Greene (282) who looks like he’s in a position to potential win the starting job as an inside corner, but there’s also Ja’Qurious Conley (150), a big nickel that could essentially operate as a nickel linebacker. Conley’s athleticism and size make him the perfect hybrid defender to insert in as needed for less spread-heavy offenses."

Conley should see a role right away in UNC’s defense and could be a key piece to add from a unit that improved a year ago. It wouldn’t shock us at all if he did receive some conference recognition as well when the year is over.

With just under two weeks until the start of the 2020 season, the excitement level is starting to get even higher for the Tar Heels.

For more on Conley and other UNC Football players, make sure to check back with Keeping It Heel.