UNC recruiting: 2017 offensive tackle Billy Ross and 2018 cornerback Donte Burton commit to North Carolina|UNC Hot Topics|Team BattleGround|College BattleGround

You could see this decision coming from a mile away. Offensive tackle Billy Ross announced his commitment to North Carolina just before midnight last night. He chose UNC over the other schools in his top 7, including Florida, Michigan State, Florida State, Virginia, Tennessee, and Marshall. He also had offers from many other schools like Miami, West Virginia, Michigan, Oregon, and Oklahoma.

We previously wrote about him when he set a July 31st commitment date:

The six-foot-five, 310-pound lineman has long held North Carolina in his good graces, including them in his top 7 last month along with Florida, Michigan State, Florida State, Virginia, Tennessee, and Marshall.

A three-star talent, Ross ranks 361st in the national composition, is the 31st overall offensive tackle in the 2017 class, and is the No. 1 recruit from his home state of West Virginia.

All told, the recruitment process took about a year. Ross visited in February for the first time, attended a game in April, and then came to campus again in June for the Freak Show. After camp, he labeled UNC his leader and then took a final visit in July. He knew where he wanted to be.

Ross now makes 15 total commits for the class of 2017, and he joins an offensive line that will now consist of tackle Marcus McKethan, guard Jonah Melton, and center Brian Anderson.

The Tar Heels also had the pleasure of cornerback Donte Burton becoming their first commit of the 2018 recruitment class. At five-foot-eleven, 172 pounds, the three-star talent ranks 589th in the national composite, as well as 64th at his position, and 55th in his home state of Georgia.

He passed up offers from Colorado, Missouri, Georgia State, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and many SEC schools to choose North Carolina. Burton previously spoke about his surprise to have a number of offers on the table before his sophomore season, prompting the recruiting process to begin sooner than he expected.

The Tar Heels offered a scholarship to Burton during the Spring Evaluation Period and recruiting continued during the Freak Show in June. The commitment is another victory for the Tar Heels in Gwinnett County, Georgia, marking the third consecutive year they have a recruit from the area.

During an interview in May, Burton mentioned that coaches like him because of “how quick my feet are…and how I play the deep ball.” He was clocked with a 4.47 40-yard dash, and is said to have the size and speed that schools like to see in their cornerbacks.

Burton’s first two high school seasons culminated in being named All-Walton County cornerback with 32 tackles, 12 pass breakups, and two interceptions in his sophomore year. He has since transferred from Boganville High School to Central Gwinnett for his upcoming junior season.