3-Star 2025 Athlete Laudenslager Commits to UNC

Kamden Laudenslager committed to North Carolina on Tuesday night. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound athlete from McDonogh High School on Owings Mill, MD, picked the Tar Heels over Pitt and Wisconsin.

Laudenslager is the No. 45 player nationally at his position and is the No. 17 overall prospect in the state of Maryland.

"I just knew that's where I wanted to be at," Laudenslager told THI.

The 3-star prospect was in Chapel Hill for the Tar Heels’ 40-34 win over Appalachian State. It helped lead to this decision, but that process began back in the spring.

“I wouldn’t say necessarily just Saturday, my initial visit, I think it was March, I got a great feel for the place," Laudenslager said. "The whole entire coaching staff. The only person I didn’t get to meet yet was Coach (Gene) Chizik, the defensive coordinator. And then Saturday, I finally met Coach Chizik and saw a gameday atmosphere… and I just knew it was the place I wanted to be.”

The Tar Heels recruited him as an outside linebacker or edge rusher.

“I think Coach Chizik envisions is that jack role that Kaimon Rucker plays for them now, that hybrid outside linebacker type," Laudenslager said. "Pass rush and pass coverage player.”

The combination of the jack position appeals a great deal to Laudenslager.

“Definitely the mix of being able to pass rush and play a little more freely in the open field as an outside linebacker," he said. "I just feel like it fits my skills, and what I’m best at is rushing the passer.”

Laudendslager has played in two-and-a-half games for Owings Mills so far, and has eight sacks.

“Kid really liked North Carolina on all his visits and the staff likes his abilities on the field. It’s a great pickup on the defensive side of the ball.”