CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) – Bill Belichick just scored his first huge victory on the recruiting trail since being introduced as the new head coach of the North Carolina football program.
East Forsyth quarterback Bryce Baker, one of the highest-ranked prospects in the state of North Carolina, reaffirmed his commitment to UNC and will sign with the Tar Heels, he announced through social media on Saturday.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback from Kernersville originally committed back in June 2023, but withheld from signing with UNC after the firing of Mack Brown last month. He waited to submit his national letter of intent until the Tar Heels found their next head coach, which eventually became Belichick. Penn State and LSU made a late push for Baker’s services before he elected to stay with UNC.
On Saturday night, Baker walked onto the court with Belichick as he was introduced to the crowd at the Dean E. Smith Center during the La Salle-UNC men’s basketball game.
Baker told ESPN that he decided to solidify his commitment with the Tar Heels following a phone call with Belichick on Thursday, only hours after the six-time Super Bowl champion was officially announced as head coach.
“Their experience in the NFL is huge,” Baker said. “They’ve been on the level that I’m trying to get to. I feel like that separates them from a lot of other schools. They want to develop me, and they know the intricacies that will help me get to my goals. I feel like [Belichick] will bring in the right pieces to build around me. They’re going to make me a priority.”
After their conversation, Baker appears confident about the future of the Tar Heels with Belichick at the helm.
“I have to trust that he’ll bring in the right pieces and the right staff to help me out as far as having success,” Baker said. “I want to get developed and be as prepared as possible so when the opportunity comes, I’m ready to seize it.”
“He was very poised and very knowledgeable. He had long answers explaining the terminology,” he added. “They’re going to be bringing in more top guys. They’re going to go after the best coaches. And they’re going to get more disciplined on and off the field.”
Baker, a four-star prospect, is rated the No. 8 overall quarterback in the 2025 class and the third-best football recruit in North Carolina, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Over the last two years, Baker spearheaded the Eagles to a 23-3 overall record. During the 2024 season, he threw for 3,523 yards and 40 touchdowns while completing nearly 75% of his passes. Baker also collected 303 yards and six additional scores on the ground.