One of the biggest recruits in the history of UNC football is staying home.

Class of 2022 defensive lineman Travis Shaw, ranked as a five-star recruit by 247 Sports, the No. 1 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 3 player in the country, committed to head coach Mack Brown and the Tar Heels on Saturday. The star for Grimsley High School in Greensboro, N.C., had been considering Clemson, Georgia and North Carolina A&T in addition to UNC.

While playing for Grimsley, Shaw led the Whirlies to the 2021 North Carolina 4A state title. Kenan Stadium hosted the championship game.

Signing in-state recruits has been a focus of Brown’s ever since he arrived for his second stint at UNC in 2018. 2022 will mark the second straight class in which the top-ranked player in North Carolina has committed to the Tar Heels, after class of 2021 defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver signed with Carolina in 2020. 

According to the ratings metric used by 247 Sports, Shaw is the second-highest rated recruit to ever sign with UNC, and the highest in Brown’s tenure. He is the third five-star recruit to commit to the Tar Heels since Brown returned to Chapel Hill, after Tony Grimes and Silver.

Chris Singletary, national recruiting expert for 247 Sports, said Shaw’s rare blend of size and athleticism gives him “off the charts” potential. “I think that he projects as an All-Conference player with the chance of being a first round pick in the NFL Draft,” Singletary said.

Shaw will join a highly talented defensive line that includes Desmond Evans and Silver for the 2022 season.

The Tar Heels also remain in the race for another 2022 top 10 recruit. Offensive lineman Zach Rice from Lynchburg, VA, ranked as the No. 6 player in the country, has yet to announce a decision. He is considering Carolina as well as Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State among others.

 

Featured image via 247 Sports

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