UNC Football: Tar Heels enter race for elite 5-star recruit

While Mack Brown and the UNC Football program get set to kickoff their 2021 campaign on Friday night at Virginia Tech, they are still busy on the recruiting trail trying to build up the future of their program.

On Sunday, the Tar Heels officially entered the race for an elite five-star prospect in the 2023 class by offering defensive back Anthony Joshua-Harris. The Phenix City, Alabama native posted a message on Twitter after receiving his offer from UNC as the Tar Heels became the latest program to enter the race.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound defensive back has a total of 35 offers in his recruitment with teams like Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami and Michigan among others all offering so far in his recruitment. While UNC is now in the race, they are going to be facing some tough competition ahead.

Harris is ranked No. 13 overall, the No. 3 defensive back and No. 3 player in the state of Alabama per the 247Sports recruiting rankings. He’s yet to take an official visit in his recruitment with it still being very early but he did unofficially visit Clemson in the Summer.  Being a 2023 recruit, Harris has a long ways to go and should start taking more visits this Fall with the college season starting.

Despite facing elite programs like Alabama, Clemson Georgia, etc in this recruitment, UNC does have Dre Bly to their advantage and have really put an emphasis on landing elite defensive backs in prior classes. Can Bly work his magic again and pull a five-star defensive back? We will keep an eye on Harris’ recruitment moving forward for the Tar Heels as things ramp up.

For more on Harris and other UNC Football recruiting targets, please check back with Keeping It Heel.