Carolina Adds Eighteen Early Signees Wednesday

CHAPEL HILL --- North Carolina head football coach Mack Brown signed 18 prospective football student-athletics to National Letters of Intent Wednesday on the first day of the new early signing period.

"I'm really proud of our coaches and I think it's a credit to them that we hired a lot of coaches that have ties in the state to a lot of coaches and high school coaches," Brown said at his Wednesday afternoon press conference. "That really helped us. And we're going to win with a large majority of the players form this state. We did it last time and that'll be our plan this time.

"We can't wait to get back and meet our team. We've had two team meetings, but we really haven't had a chance to sit down and meet all of our guys. And our coaches over Christmas holidays will call every player and talk to every player and talk to their parents because we've got to re-recruit our own players and make sure that they understand this isn't coach Fedora's team, this is not my team, this is our team and that we're going to try to win immediately."

The class currently features nine offensive players, seven defensive players and two specialists. Five of the signees - DB Storm Duck, QB Sam Howell, LB Khadry Jackson, WR Emery Simmons and OL Wyatt Tunall - will enroll in January.

January Enrollees

Storm Duck
Defensive Back
6-1, 180
Boiling Springs, S.C. • Boiling Springs High School

Listed as the No. 15 player in the state of South Carolina and considered a three-star prospect according to Rivals • Ranked No. 19 in the state by ESPN and No. 20 by 247Sports.com • Considered a three-star prospect by both ESPN and 247Sports • Selected for the North-South All-Star game • Coached by Rick Tate at Boiling Springs • Son of Phyllis and Todd Duck.

Sam Howell
Quarterback
6-1, 225
Monroe, N.C. • Sun Valley High School

Consensus four-star prospect who is ranked the No. 2 player in the state of North Carolina, the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the country and the No. 87 overall player nationally by the 247Sports Composite • Member of the ESPN300 • Threw for 3,256 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior • Also rushed for 1,392 yards and 17 scores • With more than 17,000 career yards, established a new state all-time record for total yards and ranks second in North Carolina history in career passing yards • Finished his career with 203 total touchdowns and more than 15,000 passing yards • Led Sun Valley to a 10-3 record in 2018 and a spot in the second round of the North Carolina state 3AA playoffs • Represented North Carolina at the 2018 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas • Coached by Tad Baucom at Sun Valley • Son of Amy and Duke Howell.

Khadry Jackson
Linebacker
6-2, 200
Windermere, Fla. • Windermere Preparatory School

Three-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 45 overall safety and the No. 73 player in the state of Florida by Rivals • Also ranked the No. 67 safety and the No. 110 player in Florida by the 247Sports Composite • Finished his senior season with 40 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and two sacks • Also rushed for six touchdowns and caught two more on offense • Led Windermere Prep to a 9-1 record and a spot in the SSAC playoff semifinals • Coached by Jacob Doss at Windermere Prep • Son of Kimberly and Roddrick Jackson.

Emery Simmons
Wide Receiver
6-2, 190
Parkton, N.C. • South View

Listed as the No. 13 player in North Carolina and the No. 35 wide receiver nationally by 247Sports • Ranked No. 21 in the state by ESPN and No. 26 by Rivals • Considered a four-star prospect by 247Sports • Represented North Carolina at the 2018 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas • Caught 67 passes for 1,336 yards and scored 22 total touchdowns in 2018 • Helped lead South View to an 11-3 record and a spot in the 4-A state quarterfinals as a senior • Coached by Rodney Brewington at South View • Son of Tamika and Dale Simmons.

Wyatt Tunall
Offensive Line
6-5, 270
Chester, S.C. • Chester High School

Listed as the No. 21 player in South Carolina and a three-star prospect by ESPN • Ranked No. 31 player in South Carolina by 247Sports.com • Considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports • Represented South Carolina at the 2018 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas • Finalist for South Carolina's Mr. Football award • Helped lead Chester to a 15-0 record and a 3-A state championship title as a senior • Coached by Victor Floyd at Chester • Son of Vicky and Mike Tunall.

Summer Enrollees

Giovanni Biggers
Defensive Back
6-1, 175
Columbia, Md. • Boys' Latin School

Listed as the No. 9 player in the state of Maryland and the No. 44 safety nationally by Rivals • Ranked No. 11 in the state and the No. 56 safety nationally by the 247Sports Composite • Considered the No. 16 player in the state and a three-star prospect by ESPN • Had 62 tackles, two interceptions, 13 pass breakups and two forced fumbles as a junior • Coached by Ritchie Schell at Boys' Latin • Son of Sarah Hall and Alfonso Biggers.

Obi Egbuna
Defensive Back
5-11, 180
Charlotte, N.C. • Charlotte Christian

Earned all-state and CISAA first-team all-conference honors in his final prep season • Finished his senior season with 41 tackles, 12 pass breakups, five interceptions and two sacks • Also had a kick return and an interception return for a touchdown • Led Charlotte Christian to a perfect 11-0 record and the NCISAA Div. III state title in 2018 • Coached by Jason Estep at Charltote Christian • Son of Crystal and Obi Egbuna Sr.

Tomari Fox
Defensive Line
6-3, 250
Lawrenceville, Ga. • Collins Hill

Three-star prospect who is considered the No. 73 player in the state of Georgia and the No. 53 strong-side defensive end in the country by 247Sports • Earned 7-A all-region and All-Gwinnett County honors as a senior • Also an accomplished wrestler who placed at the 7-A state meet as a junior • Younger brother of Tar Heel defensive lineman Tomon Fox • Coached by Lenny Gregory at Collins Hill • Son of Monica and Tony Fox.

Josh Henderson
Running Back
6-1, 205
Pennington, N.J. • The Hun School Of Princeton

Three-star prospect who is ranked the No. 13 player in the state of New Jersey and the No. 37 overall running back in the country by the 247Sports Composite • Also ranked the No. 18 player in New Jersey and the No. 45 running back by ESPN • Helped lead the Hun School to a 7-1 record and an outright Mid-Atlantic Prep League championship as a senior • Three-time Times of Trenton All-Area selection who was MAPL Offensive Co-Player of the Year in 2018 • Rushed for 1,383 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, finishing his career with more than 4,200 yards of total offense • Coached by Todd Smith at Hun • Son of Kay and Rob Henderson.

Kevin Hester Jr.
Defensive Line
6-5, 255
Kennesaw, Ga. • North Cobb High School

Two-sport athlete who had 37 tackles and six sacks in 2018, his first season playing football • Also a standout basketball player for North Cobb, where he earned honorable mention All-Metro honors as a junior • Coached by Shane Queen at North Cobb • Son of Fatima and Kevin Hester Sr.

Ben Kiernan
Punter
6-0, 205
Raleigh, N.C. • Wakefield High School

Listed as the No. 11 punter nationally by 247Sports.com • Ranked the No. 12 punter nationally by kicking guru Chris Sailer • Ranked the No. 33 kicker nationally by ESPN • Considered a two-star prospect by 247Sports • Handled all special teams kicking duties for Wakefield • Averaged 45.8 yards per punt as a senior and placed 23 of his 39 points inside the 20 • Coached by Brandon Kelley at Wakefield • Son of Cora and Mike Kiernan.

Drew Little
Deep Snapper
5-11, 225
Richfield, N.C. • North Stanly High School

Listed as the No. 7 deep snapper nationally by 247Sports • Ranked the No. 12 deep snapper nationally by ESPN • Represented North Carolina at the 2018 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas • High school teammate of current Tar Heel Antonio Williams • Coached by Scott Crisco at North Stanly • Son of Rebecca and Chad Little.

Triston Miller
Offensive Line
6-6, 290
Charlotte, N.C. • Charlotte Country Day

Ranked a four-star prospect and the No. 8 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 22 offensive tackle in the country by 247Sports • Also ranked No. 20 in North Carolina by Rivals and No. 33 by ESPN • Earned all-state honorable mention and CISAA second-team all-conference honors as a senior • Helped lead Country Day to the NCISAA Division II state title in 2018 • Coached by Drew Witman at Country Day • Son of Trish and Daryl Miller.

Kamari Morales
Tight End
6-3, 235
Buck Lake, Fla. • Lincoln High School

Three-star prospect who is ranked the No. 19 tight end in the country by ESPN • Also ranked the No. 40 tight end and the No. 135 player overall from the state of Florida by the 247Sports Composite • Caught 115 passes for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns in three seasons at Lincoln High • Helped lead Lincoln to an 8-5 record and a spot in the second round of the Florida Class 7A state playoffs • Coached by Quinn Gray at Lincoln • Son of Jacquelyn and Alan Morales.

Justin Olson
Wide Receiver
6-2, 185
Huntersville, N.C. • North Mecklenburg High School

Three-star prospect who is ranked the No. 51 player in North Carolina and the No. 144 player in the country by the 247Sports Composite • Caught 63 passes for 1,116 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior • Helped lead North Mecklenburg to a spot in the North Carolina 4-AA state playoffs • Named I-MECK 4A all-conference as a junior and was the league's specialist of the year in 2018 • Coached by Eric Morman at North Meck • Son of Michelle Olson and LeRoy Herschell.

Asim Richards
Offensive Line
6-5, 285
Philadelphia, Pa. • The Haverford School

Three-star prospect who is ranked the No. 6 player in the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 42 overall offensive tackle by 247Sports • Also ranked the No. 18 player in Pennsylvania by ESPN and No. 19 by Rivals • Has also played tight end and defensive line in his prep career • Also plays basketball for Haverford School • Named to the All-Inter-Ac League first team as a senior • Given a 2018 Mini Max award, awarded by the Maxwell Football Club to select standout players in eastern Pennsylvania • Coached by Michael Murphy at the Haverford School • Son of Genise Richards and Lamar Thomas.

Welton Spottsville
Wide Receiver
6-0, 200
Havelock, N.C. • Havelock High School

Three-star prospect who is ranked the No. 32 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 75 wide receiver in the country by Rivals • Also ranked No. 34 in North Carolina by 247Sports and No. 50 by ESPN • Caught 48 passes for 987 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior • Also rushed for 347 yards and six scores • Led Havelock to a 13-1 record and a spot in the North Carolina state 3-A semifinals • Represented North Carolina at the 2018 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas • High school teammate of UNC's Avery Jones • Coached by Caleb King at Havelock • Son of Angelique and William Spottsville.

Kristian Varner
Defensive Line
6-4, 240
Hiram, Ga. • Hiram High School

Listed as the No. 76 player in the state of Georgia by Rivals • Considered a three-star prospect according to ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports • Had 44 tackles, four sacks, an interception and a forced fumble during senior season • Coached by Pete Fominaya at Hiram • Son of Emma Bray and Keath Johnson.

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Tomon Fox

Avery Jones

Antonio Williams

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