A family reunion is officially set to occur in Chapel Hill!
On Friday, UCLA transfer defensive back Khristian Dunbar-Hawkins committed to the UNC football program. He will now be reunited with his brother, Armond Hawkins, the Tar Heels new cornerbacks coach.
Listed as a 5-foot-11, 175-pound defensive back, Dunbar-Hawkins was regarded as a four-star talent out of high school by both ESPN and Rivals. He enrolled early at UCLA, arriving on campus in January 2024, but didn't see any game action during his true freshman season.
While adding Dunbar-Hawkins to the mix likely serves as a depth piece at this point, that isn't to say that he can't develop into a capable rotation player (or even a starter) for the UNC football program. Given he didn't play as a true freshman, it's possible that he could still have four seasons of eligibility to work with, as the Tar Heels can bring him in as a piece to develop, knowing there's a high upside in potential that hasn't yet been tapped into.
You can never have enough secondary depth, one of the toughest positions to play in the sport of football. Bringing in a guy like Dunbar-Hawkins would make a ton of sense, considering the UNC football program is currently revamping its entire defensive unit.
After not earning any playing time at UCLA, Dunbar-Hawkins will arrive in Chapel Hill with a chip on his shoulder. If anyone can get the most out of a defensive player, its Bill and Steve Belichick, as they'll work to ensure that Dunbar-Hawkins is in a prime position to succeed during his time at North Carolina.