Saturday is going to be a huge day for the Tar Heels on the 2022 recruiting trail, as two of the top targets remaining in the class get set to announce their decisions.
The second of the two announcements will come from the middle of the country, as 2022 3✮ TE Kaden Helms from the state of Nebraska will announce his decision via a local news broadcast in Omaha. The announcement is scheduled for 6:20 PM CST, so 7:20 PM on the East coast where he will choose between his four finalists, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Miami and Arizona State.
The Tar Heels certainly attempted to make a push here during the month of June by hosting Helms for an official visit on the final weekend of the month and establishing themselves as the biggest challenger to Oklahoma in this one. That being said, it might not be enough to land his commitment, though.
When you look at the expert predictions going in, it’s hard to be extremely confident. 247Sports does list the Tar Heels in the “warmer” category for Helms, but the Sooners are a strong favorite going in, with all of the crystal ball forecasts going in their direction. All five of the crystal balls that have been cast have him heading to Norman and Rivals’ Futurecast tell the same story. All three of their predictions are in favor of the Sooners, as well.
This is one commitment that the Tar Heels certainly would have welcomed, but that is far from a death blow if they don’t land him. The depth of the tight end room is strong right now, but would be too talented of a player to pass on if he wanted to commit to the class. That doesn’t look as if that will be the case, though.
Prediction: Oklahoma