UNC Football: Two Tar Heels’ commits earn five-star ranking

Mack Brown and his UNC Football staff signed the majority of their 2021 college football recruiting class back in the early signing period in December. While they are still pursuing one recruit, this will be another strong class for the Tar Heels.

This year’s class is headlined by a pair of recruits in Drake Maye and Keeshawn Silver representing both the offense and defense.  The duo are the highest-ranked players in UNC’s 2021 class and now have officially received their updated star ranking.

247 Sports held their annual 5-star ranking show, revealing which recruits in the 2021 class have earned that elusive fifth star in their recruitment. Among them? Two UNC players in Maye and Silver, helping boost the Tar Heels class.

Both Maye and Silver jumped in the rankings due to their star increase, earning that star on Wednesday. Maye now checks in at No. 23 overall while Silver is No. 27, giving UNC a pair of Top 30 recruits. That’s impressive for Brown’s third recruiting class he’s built at UNC.

Maye was originally committed to Alabama before flipping his verbal to North Carolina back in March of 2020. The flip was huge as Maye now joins UNC’s 2021 class ahead of what is likely Sam Howell’s last season in Chapel Hill.

With the ratings bump, UNC’s class now checks in at No. 14 nationally and No. 3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a year after turning in the No. 13 class. This UNC class also had a commitment from five-star defensive back Tony Grimes but he elected to enroll early and play this season at UNC.

The Tar Heels will be looking to add one more player to this class come National Signing Day as three-star defensive back Dontae Balfour put the Tar Heels in his top 3. He’s expected to announce on NSD.

For more on the UNC Football program, please check back with Keeping It Heel.