When Bryce Baker announced late last week he was signing with the Tar Heels after a talk with Bill Belichick, the focus on the recruiting trail turned to the lone remaining unsigned commit in the class. After speaking with Belichick himself last week, 4✮ Austin Alexander was ready to reveal his final decision on Monday.
In a conversation with Inside Carolina’s Don Callahan, Alexander confirmed that he will be sticking with his commitment to UNC and will be signing with them in the near future.
This season at Cooper High School in Union, KY, Alexander tallied 54 total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in thirteen games. That followed a tremendous junior season where he finished with 81 total tackles, 19.0 sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries on the defensive side of the ball while also playing a huge role for his team offensively. He caught 67 receptions for 1,138 yards and 19 touchdowns, all numbers that led the team and helped him earn first team all-tri state and all-state honors. The year prior, he also played a big role on both sides of the ball as a sophomore. He racked up 85 total tackles, 11.0 sacks and an interception and caught 34 passes for 522 yards and six touchdowns.
Alexander, the No. 43 edge rusher and No. 5 player in Kentucky in the class according to 247Sports Composite player rankings, gives the Tar Heels a guy in this class that can simply get after the quarterback. He has a very solid release off the line of scrimmage and does an outstanding job of shedding blocks to make plays in the backfield. His use of technical pass rush moves is the big reason why he’s able to live in the backfield and his athleticism goes a long way towards him being able to chase down quarterbacks and running backs to create negative plays. He has very solid size already at 6’3, 243 lbs., but he will have to add more physicality to his game if he wants to make a significant impact in his first season, but with his ability to shed blockers, he should get a chance to be a part of the rotation within his first few years on campus.
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