Tylee Craft had to wait eight months before he got to do what he finally did on Wednesday - sign to play college football with the University of North Carolina.
Craft, the Sumter High School Shrine Bowl wide receiver, committed to the Tar Heels and new head coach Mack Brown in April on an unofficial visit. He made it official on Wednesday, signing at the Marriott in Spartanburg along with the other Shrine Bowl signees.
"I'm excited for this opportunity," Craft said in a telephone interview. "I'm ready to get up there and get things going."
Craft will be graduating from high school early and will enroll in Chapel Hill in January. He will get to participate in spring practice and will hopefully get a chance to earn a spot in the wide receiver rotation.
"I feel like if I work hard I will have a chance to play early," Craft said.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 200-pound Craft was actually on an unofficial visit to Virginia when he posted some photographs of himself on social media at the school. He got a response from UNC wide receivers coach Lonnie Galloway, who had just been in his job a short time at the start of Brown's second stint at North Carolina.
Craft visited the school the next weekend, received an offer and committed to the Heels just a couple of days later. He shut down his recruiting and held true to his commitment. He also had offers from Coastal Carolina, Charlotte and Elon when he committed to UNC.
When Craft committed to UNC, it was to a program that was 2-9 the previous year with a new head coach in place. On Wednesday, he signed with a team that went 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. UNC will be playing Temple in the Military Bowl on Dec. 27.
"The coaches told me they were going to be better than people expected," Craft said. "They lived up to that, and we should be even better next year."
Craft had 38 catches for 593 yards and six touchdowns this past season for Sumter, which went 10-1. Craft also returned six kickoffs for 143 yards, returning one 85 yards for a touchdown.
As a junior Craft had 21 receptions for 400 yards, a 19.0 yards-per-catch average, and five touchdowns.
He is one of four wide receivers in UNC's 2020 recruiting class. With the Tar Heels' fast-paced offense, the opportunity for playing time could certainly be available.
The Tar Heels ACC Rookie of the Year Sam Howell returning at quarterback. As a true freshman, Howell passed for 3,447 yards and 35 touchdowns.
"He really impressed me a lot," Craft said of Howell. "You could see him getting better after the first couple of games. I'm really excited to be getting the chance to play with him."
Craft has one more game to take care of though before reporting to Chapel Hill - the Shrine Bowl on Saturday where the best players from South Carolina face off against the best players from North Carolina.
"I'm glad to be able to compete in this game," said Craft, who is playing with SHS teammate and South Carolina signee O'Donnell Fortune. "I'm practicing with some great players and will be getting to play against some great players. I'm just happy to have the chance to play in it."
"craft" - Google News
December 19, 2019 at 08:25AM
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Craft headed to UNC - Sumter Item
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