UNC Football Tacks On Another 2025 Recruiting Prize

The UNC football staff has secured one more big name to bolster its 2025 recruiting class.

UNC football head coach Mack Brown / Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

Despite having just two composite four-star commits in their 2025 class, the UNC football recruiters still found their upcoming haul sitting among some of the top-ranked collections in the country. By adding another four-star this week, that ranking just shot up a little higher.

Cooper (Ky.) defensive lineman Austin Alexander announced his verbal commitment to the Tar Heels. Again, he becomes the third four-star recruit to pledge to UNC head coach Mack Brown and his crew.

The 6-foot-3, 243-pound edge rusher, who ranks No. 381 overall, No. 42 at his position, and No. 3 among Kentucky players on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, made the announcement alongside his family in his high school gym on Friday:

Get sacks. Make plays.

One of the top players in the state of Kentucky will play college football at North Carolina.

Austin Alexander: "I wanted to find my place, settle it and get back with one goal in mind."@AAlexander2025 @CooperFootball @durranalexander pic.twitter.com/JkLH3Ve0vm

— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) April 20, 2024

He chose the Tar Heels over several other top suitors, including Kentucky, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Alexander’s list of offers also included a litany of other ACC schools in Georgia Tech, Louisville, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and rival Duke.

He joins a list of eight other juniors who have committed to playing for UNC in 2025.

Austin Alexander chooses North Carolina.
He’s one of the best HS football players in the Cincinnati area.

➡️Interesting: Austin told us the most important connection he’s made at UNC is with the team chaplain.

“The positivity he brings every single day”

Austin is the nephew… pic.twitter.com/0rsvcZCTdT

— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) April 20, 2024

That group features the other four-stars in East Forsyth (N.C.) quarterback Bryce Baker and Gainesville (Ga.) offensive lineman Alex Payne. The remaining six are three-star prospects: Jones County (Ga.) safety Javion Butts, Rabun Gap (Ga.) tight end Marshall Pritchett, McDonogh (Md.) edge Kamden Laudenslager, Cary (N.C.) offensive lineman Trey Blue, Hershey (Ill.) tight end Logan Farrell, and Mill Creek (Ga.) defensive lineman Devin Ancrum.

UNC football's 2025 recruiting haul currently ranks No. 17 in the country, according to 247Sports.

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI for more UNC football recruiting news.