Four-star edge rusher Rico Walker of Hickory commits to UNC football recruiting class
North Carolina football picked up another recruit to add to its well-stocked defensive line, with four-star edge rusher Rico Walker of Hickory committing to the Tar Heels.
Walker made the announcement Monday at Hickory High School. He chose UNC ahead of finalists Auburn, Florida, Maryland and Tennessee.
He’s ranked among the top 200 prospects nationally in the Class of 2023. The 247Sports Composite rates him as the No. 4 recruit in North Carolina and No. 179 overall in the nation.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Walker took official visits to UNC and Maryland last month. Hickory coach Joe Glass has said Walker projects as a defensive end or outside linebacker on the college level, or perhaps a tight end.
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Walker becomes the sixth in-state prospect in the high school Class of 2023 to commit to North Carolina, joining four-star receiver Chris Culliver of Maiden, four-star receiver Christian Hamilton of Hickory Ridge, four-star edge rusher Jaybron Harvey of Southern Durham, four-star quarterback Tad Hudson of Cornelius Hough and three-star edge rusher Tyler Thompson of Cary Panther Creek.
The Tar Heels have landed 15 commitments in the Class of 2023, with 12 of them coming in the last six weeks.
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Adam Smith is a sports reporter for the Burlington Times-News and USA TODAY Network. You can reach him by email at asmith@thetimesnews.com or @adam_smithTN on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Times-News: Rico Walker picks UNC football over Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Maryland
