For a while, it appeared that 2024 4✮ ATH Jonathan Paylor would not be taking an official visit to Chapel Hill. The Burlington, NC native has been a frequent visitor to campus over the last few years with nine trips there since 2021, but all indications were that the Tar Heels weren’t going to get a chance to make one last run at him.
On Thursday night, though, Paylor announced that the team will be getting his first official visit of the month starting on Friday. It seemed as if it came down to the Tar Heels and Clemson for that last official visit spot, so the staff has plenty of work to do this weekend.
Heading into the month of June, Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks are firmly in the pole position in this recruitment. They will host Paylor to close out the month in what could be a victory lap for them if no one else is able to impress. Meanwhile, NC State seems to be lurking in the shadows and will get the opportunity to host him the third weekend of the month to put some pressure on the Gamecocks. Maryland is the other team that will get an opportunity to host him for an official visit, but it doesn’t appear that they are much of a threat right now.
The Tar Heels have their work cut out for them, but with how frequently he has been to campus, it’s hard to say they have no chance. The staff will have to absolutely blow Paylor away to have any shot of landing his commitment, something that won’t be easy to do with uncertainties about the team’s offense this offseason. The goal right now should be to extend this recruitment into the fall where they might be able to show him what he needs to see with the new offense.