UNC Football: Five-star target takes visit to Chapel Hill

The UNC Football team took care of business on Saturday night in Chapel Hill against a good Virginia team to move to 2-1 on the year and earn their first Atlantic Coast Conference win in 2021. They also did so in front of a big recruit that they have to battle the Cavaliers for in the process.

Five-star offensive tackle Zach Rice made another trip to Chapel Hill on Saturday to watch the Tar Heels take on the Cavaliers, two teams that are VERY involved in his recruitment.

Rice was on an unofficial visit to UNC along with other recruits in attendance but there’s arguably no bigger target right now for UNC in their 2022 class than Rice. The five-star prospect took official visits to Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Virginia in the Summer, while unofficially visiting UNC twice. He’s also now visited both UNC and Virginia unofficially for games so far this season.

Here’s what Rice tweeted following the game:

The 6-foot-6, 282-pound Virginia native released his top five of UNC, Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State and Virginia in March. While he has yet to make an update on his recruitment in terms of cutting his list, many believe that this could be an ACC battle between the Tar Heels and Cavaliers down the stretch.

And while it’s tough to tell where he stands, UNC fans will love what his mother, Mary, had to say about the trip on Sunday:

“Fans surely knew how to make us feel special,” his mother, Mary, added Sunday via JDNews.com. 

Rice is ranked as the No. 7 overall recruit, No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 1 player in the state of Virginia per the 247Sports recruiting rankings. UNC has already landed a top five player in Travis Shaw on their defense and adding Rice would be just as big.

But for now the Tar Heels will have to just wait and see as Rice is expected to have things wrapped up by the early signing period come mid-December.

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