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Writer's pictureAnthony Pagnotta

Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Flip 4✮ CB from LSU

@zionfergo- Instagram

Today was the final day of the biggest official visit weekend of the 2024 recruiting cycle, as the Tar Heels put their final pitches out for the thirteen prospects that were on campus. One of those thirteen was LSU commit Zion Ferguson, a prospect with whom the Tar Heels made serious strides with in the spring. New cornerbacks coach Jason Jones made it a focus to flip him since taking over and on Sunday he made that a reality.


Earlier this afternoon, Ferguson, a 4✮ prospect according to 247Sports Composite player rankings, announced that he was decommitting from the Tigers 2024 class and flipping to the Tar Heels with two different social media posts. His commitment gives the Tar Heels just their second 4✮ in the class, joining running back commit Davion Gause.


This flip shouldn’t come as much of a shock. The Tar Heels made huge headway with him in the spring visit that he took to Chapel Hill and it has felt inevitable that it was coming since then. The fact that he only scheduled the one official visit was confirmation.


Ferguson, the No. 26 cornerback in the class, is set to play his final season at the prep level this fall at Gainesville High School in Gainesville, GA. Last year at Georgia high school powerhouse Grayson, Ferguson finished with 38 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions and two passes defensed. The year before as a sophomore Grayson, he finished with 13 total tackles and three passes defensed while playing in just six games.


Ferguson gives the Tar Heels the rangy outside corner that the team is in need of with what they have added to the room in the last two recruiting cycles. He is exactly what this defensive staff is looking for with how much he thrives as a zone corner. He has the short-area quickness that allows him to close on the football quickly, which is shown often in both his sophomore and junior film. He does an outstanding job of playing the football and this year it paid off with those three interceptions. He shows the desire to contribute in run defense and is able to make some plays in space as a tackler. The level of competition is no issue at all, even with him transferring for his senior season. At 6’0, 161 lbs., adding some weight to his frame will be important, but this is a tremendous pick up for the Tar Heels cornerback room that is need of an upgrade in talent.


With his commitment, the Tar Heels have their 20th commitment in the 2024 class. The class hops back into 15th in the class’s overall rankings according to 247Sports Composite team rankings. The class does remain second in the ACC rankings behind Clemson.


The hope is that this is the first of a few commitments that well see this week for the team with everyone’s official visit schedules complete. A big week from the Tar Heels with commitments from some of their higher-rated targets could take some heat off the staff, which has received a lot of criticism for how they have recruited in this cycle.

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