The Tar Heels 2021 recruiting on the high school trail came to an end on Wednesday and they are wasting no time shifting their focus to the 2022 trail. On Saturday, they added their first commitment of the class and it was a big one to kick off another important class for Mack Brown and Co. as they look to continue their progression towards their goal of competing for an ACC title.
Shortly after 5:00 PM on Saturday, 2022 4✮ WR Tychaun Chapman announced his commitment to the Tar Heels over Alabama, Penn State and others via Instagram Live. According to 247Sports Composite rankings, Chapman is ranked as the No. 20 wide receiver in the 2022 class and the No. 7 player in the state of Virginia. So far in the first two seasons of his high school career, he has gotten his career off to a great start and developed into one of the top receivers in the state of Virginia. Last year, as a sophomore, he caught 39 passes for 645 yards and six touchdowns, leading his team in all three of those major receiving categories on his way to earning All-Tidewater honors. He finished the season with 1,300 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns.
It’s going to be hard to find a slot receiver as exciting as Chapman in this 2022 class. He is the definition of shifty, as he can change directions so quickly is truly mind-blowing and when he hits top speed, he is almost impossible to catch. His route running ability appears to be strong on tape, something that isn’t shocking with how good his footwork is in the open field. That route running ability allows him to create plenty of separation, something that is important to do out of the slot, especially in this Tar Heel offense. His skill set will also make him a great fit on the Tar Heel special teams unit as a returner, duties he handled as a freshman, but did not appear to handle as a sophomore.
Chapman’s commitment is the first of the 2022 cycle for the Tar Heels and it’s a strong one to start off with Chapman ranked inside of the nation’s top 200 players in the class. After a historic class in the state of North Carolina spurred the Tar Heels to one of their best recruiting classes in school history, the state of Virginia will be a big one for the Tar Heels in the 2022 cycle and this is a great start for them in the state. The commitment moves the Tar Heels to 30th in overall rankings for the cycle and fifth in the ACC according to 247Sports Composite team rankings.