After the commitments of major running back targets Evan Pryor and TreVeyon Henderson, there seemed to be a little bit of unease around a position that is a key need in the 2021 class. As running back coach Robert Gillespie posted after the commitment of 2021 4✮ RB Kamarro Edmonds, the sky just got a whole lot brighter. By landing one of the top running backs in the state, the Tar Heels have now eased those concerns and added another big commitment from an in-state prospect.
Edmonds entered last season as a cornerback prospect on most major recruiting sites, but the focus of many recruiters changed after a monster junior season at the running back position for Havelock High School in Havelock, NC. In 12 games in 2019, Edmonds ran for 1,402 yards and 17 touchdowns on just 148 carries and caught 21 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns, all of which resulted in a first team all-conference nod. Prior to his junior season, Edmonds split time between running back and cornerback, rushing for 499 yards and five touchdowns and racking up 33 total tackles, one interception and six pass deflections as a sophomore. As a freshman on a Havelock team that made a run to the state championship game before falling to powerhouse Charlotte Catholic, Edmonds had 145 yards and a touchdown, as well nine tackles in four games with the varsity team.
Edmonds is a lot of fun to watch on tape. Although his straight line speed isn’t the best in this class, when he hit the hole, he has enough burst to cause problems. He is nightmare in the open field for opposing defenders because of his ability to put his foot in the ground, cut and make a defender miss, something that his tape is littered with. At 5’11, 200 lbs. he has good size and it lends well to the style in which he likes to run, although the strength staff will likely look for him to add more weight when he arrives on campus to help him add a physical edge to his running style. All in all, the Tar Heels got a running back that fits exactly what they need to add talent and depth to a backfield that could very well lose its top two running backs after this 2020 season.
The commitment give the Tar Heels their twelfth commitment of the class already and their eleventh from the state of North Carolina. The commitment jumps the Tar Heels up to 3rd nationally in the 247Sports Composite team rankings, something no one would have thought possible just 18 months ago. The class does remain 2nd in the ACC, but continues to inch closer to the top dog, Clemson.