Gatewood football linebacker, running back and wide receiver Evan Bennett ended his football recruitment earlier this year when he committed to play collegiately at the University of North Carolina.
Since his initial trip to the Tarheels’ campus in January, Bennett and his family have returned to Chapel Hill five more times. His most recent trip to UNC this past weekend was considered an official visit.
“I got to hang out with the [current] players. They’re great guys,” Bennett told The Eatonton Messenger. “When we got up there, the staff welcomed me back home. I was with my mom and brother. My dad got there late because he had work, but we had dinner and went to a bunch of meetings. A lot of stuff was talking about the future for me and what football means. We also talked about academics and classes. How busy of a schedule the football players have.”
Besides getting to hang out with current Tarheel players, tour campus, eat dinner and attend meetings, the 3-star recruit got to spend time with legendary North Carolina head coach Mack Brown, who was previously at UNC from 1988-97 before winning a national title at Texas in 2005.
Bennett said Brown was “down to earth” and he learned a lot from him during the visit.
“What I love about him is definitely what he prioritizes. I love how he prioritizes hard work and effort,” Bennett said. “I also love that he’s a genuine man. It’s so hard to come by people nowadays that truly have a good heart for the people they give themselves to.
“Coach Brown, one of the main things that stood out to me on my first visit up there was that I didn’t come up to him. I’ve been on other visits and talked to other coaches, he made it known he wanted me there. He also took time out of his day to come up to me and find me for a conversation. That was one of the main selling points [for me] in terms of when it came down to my decision.”
Bennett, a 6-foot-3, 221-pound prospect, was UNC’s first commitment in its 2024 recruiting class. He also holds current offers from Georgia Southern and Liberty but is committed to being a Tarheel.
Bennett also is doing his best to help UNC land some of the nation’s top recruits and trying to sell them on joining him. The Tarheels’ 2024 class is currently ranked No. 26 nationally, per 247Sports.
“The other main part of recruiting doesn’t come from analysts or staff, it comes from players, and we all bond together because we all play the same game and have the same interests,” Bennett said. “So, when it comes down to it, we’re making our decision based on who the people we want to be surrounded with for four years. That was honestly one of the main reasons that I committed to UNC.
“It also was due to the scheme, how welcoming they were, how much work they put in, and how much they believe in each other,” he added. “That family and teamwork are like no other.”
Bennett plays both offense and defense for Gatewood. Last season, he finished his junior campaign with over 100 tackles on defense, while scoring 11 touchdowns and piling up more than 800 all-purpose yards on offense.
However, the coaching staff at North Carolina recruited him to play on defense, specifically at the linebacker position. Still, he doesn’t yet know whether he will be used on the inside or outside.
“That’s to be determined,” Bennett said. “It really depends on my senior year [at Gatewood]. They [UNC] like me for my speed and size. They say I fit the bill of a linebacker in today’s world. We are much bigger, stronger, and more dynamic than those linebackers of back in the day. Today’s linebackers fly all over the field and can line up against a wide receiver or a running back that can run a 4.3 or 4.4-second 40-yard dash. So, we shall see in the coming year where I will play.”
Bennett said he hopes to attend North Carolina’s Sept. 3 season opener against South Carolina in Charlotte.