Signing Day came and went today. Aside from the mother of a 5-star running back disappearing with her son's Letter of Intent and Ole Miss thinking they're Alabama, there were not too many surprises. By the way Rebels, you're not fooling anyone. The Heels and Canes will welcome you in NCAA jail soon enough.
North Carolina signed just 17 players this time around due in part to a couple of players spurning the Heels in the past week as well as the scholarship limitations from NCAA-imposed sanctions.
Marquez North, a stand-out wide receiver from Charlotte, allowed his father make his college decision for him and will be attending Tennessee.
Durham defensive back Korrin Wiggins thought he was sneaky by remaining committed to North Carolina over the past few months despite taking any and every official visit available to him. He surprised no one by choosing Clemson today. Thanks for holding a scholarship hostage, buddy.
In all seriousness, good luck to each player in their college career. No bad vibes being sent from this blogger. You both played the recruiting game well and I respect your efforts. Bravo!
As for players actually signed up to play at North Carolina, this class is the definition of quality over quantity. With limited numbers, Larry Fedora and the staff had to choose wisely.
You can read about all the signees elsewhere (may I suggest Inside Carolina?), but to me the most notable incoming freshmen are quarterback Mitch Trubisky, running back T.J. Logan and defensive tackle Greg Webb. All are rated 4-star prospects for whatever that is worth. Donte Paige-Moss was a 5-star so I might be jaded.
Trubisky is exactly what Fedora and offensive coordinator Blake Anderson are looking for when they picture a quarterback playing in their high-tempo spread offense. He can make all the throws and is more than capable of making plays with his feet.
Logan is the jewel of this class. That's not just my opinion either. The Greensboro running back ran for over 3,146 yards and 47 touchdowns as a senior. Read that again. And again. That's a lot of yards and a lot of TDers. Just a few months after Gio Bernard declares for the NFL Draft the Tar Heels sign a stud to follow in his footsteps.
Webb was originally committed to Penn State. Who knows why he decommitted? I thought everybody wanted to play football in Happy Valley. I mean JoePa is a legend, no? The 6-foot-1, 315-pound Webb could see the field early as the Heels are thin at defensive tackle.
The class of 2013 ranks anywhere from 20 (ESPN) to 39 (Rivals) by the various recruiting rankings services. Shows how much they know. How can there be such a differential?
The true "ranking" of this class won't be known for a year or two. However, at least on paper, what this class lacks in depth, it makes up for with key playmakers who at the very least will play a significant role before they leave Chapel Hill. A couple even have star potential.