Dionte Neal is one of the most highly-touted prospects that the state of North Carolina has to offer.
A multi-sport star, Neal thrives on both the football field and the basketball court. Don't let his size (5-foot-9, 160-pounds) fool you: this dude is a straight-up baller.
Being heavily recruited as a potential multi-sport talent at the college level, Neal announced his list of six finalists in his recruitment. Tar Heel fans who are familiar with his game will be pumped to hear that North Carolina is still in the mix.
North Carolina is joined by Appalachian State, Boston College, Duke, Old Dominion, and UNCG among the finalists in his recruitment. While his post indicates that he is looking to play both sports at the college level, it appears that the Tar Heels are primarily focused on bringing him on as a football recruit.
His size likely is deterring Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program from extending an offer his way, but there's no denying what he can do on the court. He is the reigning North Carolina Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year and currently holds a four-star rating from 247Sports.
If North Carolina wants to win this recruiting battle, they need both teams to be fully on board in terms of having him compete for them in the future.
From speaking to individuals from the area, they all rave about what Dionte Neal brings to the table. It would be wise for North Carolina to make a strong push to land this in-state talent, one who is an under the radar type of prospect with a ton of potential to blossom into a true star.
The majority of Neal's finalists come from schools within the state of North Carolina, as this particular recruitment could become a battle of in-state programs looking to keep this homegrown talent within the state to begin his college athletics career.