North Carolina’s presence in elite recruiting circles keeps growing, and AJ Williams is the latest name to show up on the Tar Heels’ board.
Williams, a reclassified senior and 6-foot-7 forward, has cut his list to 10 schools: Arkansas, Auburn, BYU, Duke, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and North Carolina. He is a top-five overall prospect in the 2027 class, and UNC remains in the hunt as his recruitment tightens.
So far, Williams has taken official visits to Auburn, Duke, and Georgia Tech. More visits are expected before he makes his final call.
That keeps UNC right in the middle of a recruiting race that continues to tilt toward the very top of the class. The Tar Heels are already being linked with several of the best available prospects in 2027, including No. 1 CJ Rosser, who is coming off an official visit to Chapel Hill and is said to be the current "frontrunner" in his recruitment.
UNC is also in the mix for No. 2 DeMarcus Henry, an in-state product who has made his list of finalists.
Louisville, Duke, Ohio State and UConn are also involved there. No.
3 Asa Montgomery has already locked in an official visit with North Carolina after the Tar Heels jumped in late, while No. 4 Beckham Black is set to visit Chapel Hill this weekend.
Williams fits into that broader push. The Tar Heels are tied to at least six of the top-10 ranked players in the class and have also been connected to several prospects ranked in the top 15 overall. That kind of reach shows just how aggressive Michael Malone and the UNC staff have been on the trail.
In Williams’ case, UNC may have to do more heavy lifting than it will with some of its other targets. With Rosser and Page high on the wish list, Williams could be viewed as a fallback option, though one that would have likely been higher on the priority list before he reclassified.
Even so, North Carolina would clearly welcome a talent like Williams in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are still working to turn all that recruiting momentum into actual commitments, and for now, they remain firmly in the conversation with one of the class’s premier names.
In Other News...
UNC's New Coach Just Reignited Something Tar Heels Fans Value Most
Nearly 200 former North Carolina mens basketball players came back for an alumni reunion weekend that mixed social events with a dinner at the Dean Smith Center, a reminder of how much the programs history still matters in Chapel Hill. The gathering was organized by coach Malone, who has no prior UNC ties beyond his daughter playing volleyball there, but quickly made it clear he intends to lean into one of the biggest selling points of the job: the sense of a Carolina family that stretches across generations.
Malone plans to turn the reunion into an annual event and keep finding ways to bring former players closer to the program moving forward. For a fan base that prizes continuity, tradition and connection as much as wins, the weekend offered an early signal that the new coach understands what makes the Tar Heels unique. The next question is how far that renewed alumni involvement can reach once the season starts and the demands of the job settle in. [Read more 🡒]
UNC May Have Found One Edge That Could Carry Them Through The ACC
North Carolinas opening win over TCU offered more than a clean start, it hinted at a roster that might be built to hold up over the long haul. Bill Belichick came away encouraged by what he saw in training camp, pointing to the way competition has pushed multiple players into position to contribute as the Tar Heels try to make their way through a demanding ACC schedule.
Belichicks bigger point was about survival as much as performance. Depth can look like a luxury in September, but it tends to become a necessity once injuries start piling up and the available pool shrinks fast, and UNC seems to believe it has at least given itself a better chance to keep functioning when the season gets rough. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Belichicks Defensive Role At UNC Just Got A Lot Clearer
Preparing for Clemson is always a test of poise as much as scheme, and North Carolinas outside linebackers room is feeling that buildup under Ty Nichols. Speaking before the trip, Nichols talked about getting his players ready for the environment they are about to walk into, praised colleague Jamie Collins for the work he is doing with the defense and pointed to transfer defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson as one of the newcomers helping deepen the unit.
Nichols also offered a clearer window into how Bill Belichick has fit into the defensive side during Steve Belichicks medical leave. The head coach has been actively involved in the coaching process, adding another layer to a staff that is already adjusting in real time while trying to keep the focus on a difficult conference road game. How that extra voice shows up on game day will be something worth watching once the Tar Heels get to Clemson. [Read more 🡒]