Saturday was an important day for the Tar Heels 2022 recruiting class, as two of the team’s top remaining targets in the cycle announced their commitments. 2022 4✮ CB Daylen Everette was the first player to commit, spurning the Tar Heels with a pump fake and hat throw that has caused quite a social media stir, instead choosing to join his current prep school teammate at Clemson. Meanwhile, 2022 3✮ TE Kaden Helms chose to go with the longtime favorite in his recruitment, the Oklahoma Sooners, over the Tar Heels just a couple of hours later.
Helms’ commitment to Oklahoma did not come as a shock and is one that didn’t really sting all that much. While the Tar Heels certainly would have welcomed his commitment, the team is still in great shape at a tight end position that will enter this fall with four underclassmen, including Bryson Nesbit, who was a 4✮ at the position in the previous class. That means that the Tar Heels are likely to not be adding a tight end in this 2022 class.
It’s a bit of a different story when it comes to Everette, who many felt the Tar Heels led for as recently as last week. Winning this battle over the Clemson Tigers would have been another major stepping stone in the progression that this staff has shown on the recruiting trail since they arrived, but there are still plenty of opportunities to score a win over the Tigers in this cycle, including with 5✮ in-state DT Travis Shaw. As for the cornerback position, the Tar Heels are still in tremendous shape with 4✮ Tayon Holloway and 4✮ Marcus Allen already committed to this class and the cornerback position is a spot on the roster where the Tar Heels currently don’t have a senior on the roster, meaning there is a chance that everyone could return next season.
The good news for the Tar Heels is that they still seem to be in good shape for the majority of their remaining targets. 4✮ RB Omarion Hampton is set to announce his commitment on Thursday and while Everette’s late flip to Clemson will likely be cautious, the Tar Heels will come into this commitment as the favorite. The Tar Heels also remain in good shape for Shaw and fellow 5✮ Zach Rice, as the team looks to land a 5✮ prospect for the third straight year.
Missing on Everette definitely leaves a bad taste in the mouth of Tar Heel fans, especially when you consider the fact that they were seen as being in the driver’s seat just a week before the decision. The good news is, this is still another solid class for the Tar Heels on the recruiting trail that could be adding some blue-chip prospects to the class in the near future, including the possibility of one later this week. This class is far from complete and the staff remains solidly in the mix for some of the nation’s top prospects as they look to regain some positive momentum back and continue to build talent and depth.