A little more than a month ago, I penned my thoughts about 4-star quarterback Tyler Shough’s decision to decommit from UNC and commit to Oregon. It made sense for Shough, who is from Arizona, and didn’t really hurt UNC that much because most around the program believe Jace Ruder is a better prospect and a much better fit for Larry Fedora’s offensive system.
So that wasn’t much of a loss and was something the program could easily absorb. Today’s news that Payton Wilson has decided to decommit and go back on the market is a blow to UNC’s program, and one can even say this is a serious one.
Wilson grew up and goes to school not far from Chapel Hill, so he’s about as local a big-time prospect as there has been in football in a long time, and now he’s likely headed somewhere else. Some may say, if you can’t keep that kid reeled in who can they keep?
That might be a bit unfair given that we don’t know all of the dynamics involved.
In addition, Wilson’s cousin is Jonah Melton, an offensive guard at UNC who is redshirting this season. Melton was also a 4-star kid and local (Mebane). He also injured his knee, like Wilson recently did, and has spent the last 18 months healing and strengthening it. Melton is healthy but the staff wanted to redshirt him to build for the future and to make absolutely certain the knee is strong enough to take the beating that is assured playing OG in college.
From all accounts, Melton’s experience at UNC has been very positive, and this is important to note because people are going to search for answers for Wilson’s decommitment.
After all, Wilson was at one time the ring leader of the class. He was the guy recruiting other prospects, trying to build the best class possible for 2018. But something changed, and now he’s gone.
Wilson recently visited N.C. State for the Clemson game and was at Notre Dame this past weekend taking in the Irish-Navy contest. That experience would wow any prospect, and many of us non-prospects, too.
Adam Friedman says Ohio State and Clemson are in also in the mix, and honestly, those are attractive options. Who could blame the kid for wanting to give himself an opportunity to more explore those programs?
But the thing is, Wilson is local. He’s a Carolina fan. He was treated as if he was already in the program and prior to his recent knee injury, would have had a great chance at getting on the field next fall. Who knows, maybe he would have competed for a starting job.
That’s why this decision hurts the program so much. UNC offered Wilson everything he could possibly want, with the exception of being a Joe Football school. Clemson and Notre Dame have that, and N.C. State certainly had it the day Clemson was in town for that highly anticipated matchup with the Wolfpack earlier this month.
So if you’re looking for some sugar coating here you won’t find it. The most that can be said to help appease your football recruiting soul is that if Wilson really doesn’t want to be at UNC than it’s best the program doesn’t land him. There are plenty of kids who do, so the focus now needs to be on them.
That said, the understanding is Wilson hasn’t dismissed UNC from the process, but it’s rare when kids decommit and then commit later to the same school. Maybe it will happen here, who knows.
One thing is for sure, a spot just opened for a linebacker who wants to play right away and thinks he can. It helps that UNC will be extremely experienced and deep up front defensively next year and pretty strong in the secondary. UNC has that to sell in the 10th hour of the recruiting cycle, and that’s not an awful position to be in. So the program needs to make the most of it.
They are now officially on the clock…
So that wasn’t much of a loss and was something the program could easily absorb. Today’s news that Payton Wilson has decided to decommit and go back on the market is a blow to UNC’s program, and one can even say this is a serious one.
Wilson grew up and goes to school not far from Chapel Hill, so he’s about as local a big-time prospect as there has been in football in a long time, and now he’s likely headed somewhere else. Some may say, if you can’t keep that kid reeled in who can they keep?
That might be a bit unfair given that we don’t know all of the dynamics involved.
In addition, Wilson’s cousin is Jonah Melton, an offensive guard at UNC who is redshirting this season. Melton was also a 4-star kid and local (Mebane). He also injured his knee, like Wilson recently did, and has spent the last 18 months healing and strengthening it. Melton is healthy but the staff wanted to redshirt him to build for the future and to make absolutely certain the knee is strong enough to take the beating that is assured playing OG in college.
From all accounts, Melton’s experience at UNC has been very positive, and this is important to note because people are going to search for answers for Wilson’s decommitment.
After all, Wilson was at one time the ring leader of the class. He was the guy recruiting other prospects, trying to build the best class possible for 2018. But something changed, and now he’s gone.
Wilson recently visited N.C. State for the Clemson game and was at Notre Dame this past weekend taking in the Irish-Navy contest. That experience would wow any prospect, and many of us non-prospects, too.
Adam Friedman says Ohio State and Clemson are in also in the mix, and honestly, those are attractive options. Who could blame the kid for wanting to give himself an opportunity to more explore those programs?
But the thing is, Wilson is local. He’s a Carolina fan. He was treated as if he was already in the program and prior to his recent knee injury, would have had a great chance at getting on the field next fall. Who knows, maybe he would have competed for a starting job.
That’s why this decision hurts the program so much. UNC offered Wilson everything he could possibly want, with the exception of being a Joe Football school. Clemson and Notre Dame have that, and N.C. State certainly had it the day Clemson was in town for that highly anticipated matchup with the Wolfpack earlier this month.
So if you’re looking for some sugar coating here you won’t find it. The most that can be said to help appease your football recruiting soul is that if Wilson really doesn’t want to be at UNC than it’s best the program doesn’t land him. There are plenty of kids who do, so the focus now needs to be on them.
That said, the understanding is Wilson hasn’t dismissed UNC from the process, but it’s rare when kids decommit and then commit later to the same school. Maybe it will happen here, who knows.
One thing is for sure, a spot just opened for a linebacker who wants to play right away and thinks he can. It helps that UNC will be extremely experienced and deep up front defensively next year and pretty strong in the secondary. UNC has that to sell in the 10th hour of the recruiting cycle, and that’s not an awful position to be in. So the program needs to make the most of it.
They are now officially on the clock…
