After losing 2020 3✮ SDE Sean Martin’s commitment earlier in the week, the Tar Heels wasted little time adding a new member to the 2020 class.
2020 4✮ DT Kedrick Bingley-Jones announced his commitment to Carolina at noon on Saturday afternoon at his high school in Charlotte, NC in honor of his grandmother, who's birthday would have been today. This was part of a remarkable turnaround for the Tar Heels with the one-time Florida commit, who’s commitment was highly influenced by Coach Mack Brown and lead recruiter Lonnie Galloway since his first visit with the new staff back in January.
Bingley-Jones is entering his senior season at Providence Day High School, where he has been teaming with fellow 2020 4✮ DT Jacolbe Cowan as part of one of the best defensive lines in the state of North Carolina. As a junior last year, Bingley-Jones finished the season with 52 solo tackles and 8.0 sacks in the eight games that stats are available for on MaxPreps, the latter of which led the Chargers a year ago and helped to land his on the NCISAA first-team. In his first varsity season of his high school career at A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, NC, he finished with 60 total tackles, 22.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
When I turn on Bingley-Jones tape, the first few plays show me something that should be very encouraging for Tar Heel fans. Everything about the way Bingley-Jones plays screams Jason Strowbridge, a guy who many believe could be an All-ACC first teamer this year out of that 4i-technique that many expect to see Bingley-Jones play at Carolina. In the limited snaps that he lined up on film at that 4i-technique, he was nearly unstoppable with his combination of a quick release off of the line and his physical pass-rushing nature. Bingley-Jones has that similar “bull in a china shop” mentality that you love from an inside release defensive end, another aspect of his game that is comparable to Strowbridge. Bingley-Jones is not purely a pass rusher, though, as he showed the ability to seal the edge multiple times, something the Tar Heel defensive ends have struggled mightily with the past few seasons. All of this, combined with the fact that he brings special teams value (two blocked punts in 2018) and has blocking skills as an H-back that can be used down near the goal line if needed, means Bingley-Jones could make an early impact when he steps on campus at Carolina.
Bingley-Jones commitment turns the Tar Heel class back in the right direction after the small slide following Sean Martin’s decommitment. 247Sports Composite overall team rankings still has Carolina ranked No. 17 in the country and No. 4 in the ACC. The Heels will have a chance to make a big jump later in the class, though, if Desmond Evans or Ja’Qurious Conley were to pop.