Jacolby Criswell tweeted Monday night after his commitment to Carolina earlier that afternoon that Pittsburgh-based defensive end A.J. Beatty would be the next prospect to commit to the Tar Heels 2020 class. Beatty took his official visit to Chapel Hill over the weekend and concluded that visit just moments ago with that predicted commitment.
Beatty, the No. 86 SDE in the 2020 class, is entering his senior season at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, PA. Beatty played both sides of the ball a year ago as a junior, racking up 15.0 sacks in 11 games. Beatty has the ability to play with his hand in the dirt or stand up, flexibility that Jay Bateman’s defense thrives in. He’s not the most physical pass rusher, but does a good job of keeping offensive linemen from getting their hands inside of him. His speed won’t blow anyone away, but he is quick enough to beat slower offensive tackles around the outside. It will be interesting to see how he develops, as he will be looked to be more than just a straight-line pass rusher.
With Beatty’s commitment, the Tar Heels 2020 class is already fifteen members strong. The commitment keeps the Heels at 10th overall in the 247sports Composite rankings and 4th in the ACC.
Comments