UNC Football loses commit prior to 2023 Early Signing Day

The writing was on the wall, but it has now been made official.

Just hours before early signing day on December 20, the UNC football program lost a commitment, as three-star Keenan Jackson will no longer be signing with the Tar Heels.

Jackson, the No. 27-ranked player in the state of North Carolina (according to 247Sports Composite) announced his decision on social media. For those who follow high school recruits on social media, the news shouldn't be shocking, as his next destination is likely to another ACC program.

On December 15, Jackson posted the above reel to X, as his likely future head coach just happened to like the post.

Who is it, you ask? Oh, none other than NC State head coach Dave Doeren.

Yes, Jackson is expected to flip his commitment from North Carolina to NC State, as the Matthews, North Carolina native will be staying in-state after all.

This is a prime example of why recruiting can be frustrating, as programs factor in verbal commits thinking they will hold their allegiance to the given university. However, student-athletes can easily change their minds, and in this case, the decision came just a few hours before the Tar Heels thought he was going to make his commitment official.

It's disappointing news for sure, as Jackson could've been a nice addition to the UNC football program's wide receiver group. However, with a very big 2024 recruiting class and the potential to add via the transfer portal, there are plenty of options for Mack Brown and his staff to explore to fill the void.

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