Four-Star DE Jahvaree Ritzie To Announce Commitment June 12
Defensive end Jahvaree Ritzie has cut his collegiate football program list down to five. The schools vying for his commitment are North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Ohio State. He announced his list via his twitter account that his announcement will be next Friday at 6:30 pm.
Ritzie, who has a special connection with the number 12, will announce his verbal commitment on June 12th, which happens to be his parent's anniversary. 12 also symbolizes his mother's favorite number and his jersey number.
Eight crystal balls predict the North Carolina native will choose UNC following along the path of teammate and close friend, RaRa Dillworth; it's also worth noting that Ritize is friends with multiple UNC commits.
The four-star prospect had this to say about what makes Carolina special,
"The relationship with everyone. I'm not really concerned about the 'stay at home thing,' but I just really have great relationships with them."
UNC offered Ritzie January of 2019 with the leadership of coaches Tim Cross and Phil Longo. He was afforded multiple visits to the campus and, each time, sung Carolina's praises.
ALLTarHeels Evaluation from Jonah Lossiah,
A recent comparison for Ritzie could be Jason Strowbridge, who was just taken by the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft. They have a similar build, with Strowbridge being 6'4" 275 pounds, and they would most likely play the same role in Jay Bateman's scheme. What Ritzie needs to work on to get to that level is his array of moves. Finesse is often required for the pass rush, but one also needs the strength to hold up a run-blocking tackle. Strowbridge also consistently shined with his quickness and athleticism, notably blocking four kicks during his time at North Carolina.
Strowbridge had a fantastic senior campaign in Chapel Hill, quickly becoming one of the best players on the team and most significant run stoppers in the ACC. The role of a strongside end is often an undervalued position by fans, but it becomes apparent when it's gone. Versatility on the line is something that grew through Strowbridge's Tar Heel career, and it would become necessary for Ritzie to take that next step.
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