Five new North Carolina football players got a head start on their college careers on Monday.
Marquise Williams, T.J. Thorpe, Landon Turner, Travis Riley and Sylvester Williams enrolled a semester early for the Tar Heels. Williams, Thorpe, Turner and Riley are freshmen. Sylvester Williams is a junior-college transfer.
Williams, a quarterback from Charlotte, is the prize of the class. He threw for more than 3,000 yards and 45 touchdowns as a senior at Mallard Creek and rushed for more than 1,000 and 19 touchdowns. Scout.com ranks him as the 12th-best quarterback prospect in the country.
Thorpe, a receiver from Durham Jordan, is considered one of the best athletes in the country and caught 55 passes for 950 yards as a senior.
Turner, from Harrisonburg, Va., is one of the country's top offensive line prospects. The guard played in the US Army All-American Bowl.
Riley rushed for 1,924 yards at Kannapolis Brown High School as a junior then injured his knee as a senior.
Sylvester Williams had two sacks and five blocked kicks at Coffeyville Community College and adds depth to a depleted defensive line.
Comments
I've not been making my rounds....
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 22:00 — UNC1998I haven't been this blog in ages! Congrats to all the guys going to UNC, and early at that! Oh what a great day, indeed. I wish them well, and when the NCAA lets down all the ABC fans by not by not giving UNC a severe lashing. The word circulating elsewhere has UNC escaping the harsh dungeon of banishment. I'm not going to say what's right or wrong about that, but that's what I'm hearing from those who claim to be in the know about such matters. I'll not believe anything until I see it. In any event, any VT fans here? I guess you lost in the Williams' sweepstakes.
Welcome back 1998
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 22:41 — unc098I was wondering where you had gotten to. I suppose sanctions are coming but who knows what form they will take. Ready to get it over with whatever the punishment.
Butch better get them while he still can
Tue, 01/11/2011 - 20:11 — packstrength90I hope these young men enjoy playing "nonconsiquencial football" because after the NCAA drops the hammer, they won't be seeing any Bowl games. Might not even get to be on TV. If they were smart, they would have a clause in their letter on intent saying they could decommit after the verdict.
Getting them
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 12:53 — SurferOh he can and he will. Thanks for the compliment regarding Coach Davis' football program and the fine university that is UNC Chapel Hill. It is amazing that these fine student atheletes would walk right in to the teeth of such doom and gloom. Or perhaps they are just looking at the future in a much more positive light?
It would be great to getr
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 18:35 — unc098It would be great to getr done though. Got to remember that most of these folks are going to be red shirted anyway. I would be surprised to see sanctions extend beyond 2011-2012. Hard to say though.
Golly
Tue, 01/11/2011 - 20:36 — gvillegatrI look forward to the day these sanctions come down and it is posted on ACCNow! You wanna talk about a record setting blog ...
Agreed
Tue, 01/11/2011 - 21:27 — Heels20And when that day comes, all of those insisting that there would be harsh punishment will not be wrong, but instead it will be because there is a huge conspiracy to hold back NC State and promote Carolina.
Agree
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 12:43 — SurferWhatever the "punishment" the screaming will either be "we told you so" or "conspiracy!". Of course, I am hoping for the conspiracy cries.
LOL
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 10:34 — unc098LOL
Recruiting Class
Tue, 01/11/2011 - 13:52 — SurferThis is shaping up to be a significant recruiting class, # 11 last I looked. 2011 has the potential to be a special year for Carolina Football, esp. if no one leaves early and no poor choices are made like this past year.
Welcome !!!! I think early
Mon, 01/10/2011 - 21:31 — unc098Welcome !!!! I think early enrollment is really a great way for the kids to get acclimated to college life and participating in Spring practice can only be a good thing. Here is wishing all of you a successful career at Carolina.