We gave John Bunting's recruiting Class of 2003 some high marks last week in grading it position by position. The major recruiting analysts then verified our marks by making North Carolina a consensus national top 20 class on signing day.

But now that the class has been signed, sealed and delivered, we can make an even closer evaluation of the 26 players and begin to consider what their impact on the program will be next fall and beyond. Rather than using grades this time, however, we'll offer our opinion through a variety of categories, beginning with an observation on which players were the top signees for the Tar Heels.

PRIZE CATCH: When you're dealing with a class as good as UNC's, there are any number of players who could be considered a "prize catch." But there was one athlete in this class who the Tar Heels coveted from start to finish in recruiting, but were never sure until the final hours leading up to signing day that they would get him. So while others in this class were rated higher nationally than Isaiah Thomas from Winston-Salem, there were probably none the staff worked longer and harder to land.

Making the 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle even more of a prize was the fact North Carolina beat out rival N.C. State for his services. The battle for Thomas had essentially boiled down to the Tar Heels and Wolfpack before the decision was announced on Monday, two days before the signing period began.

But the real reason Thomas is a prize is he's simply an excellent football player, who was an all-state pick on offense and defense as a senior at Carver High School. SuperPrep recruiting magazine rates him the nation's No. 31 defensive line prospect.

SUDDEN IMPACT: One of the reasons this class has been so highly regarded on a national level is because of the large number of players who have the potential to play next fall.

The list begins with cornerback Lionell Green, the transfer from Reedley Community College in California. Green, a 6-1, 180-pounder, was rated the No. 4 prospect in the JUCO ranks by SuperPrep, and with only two years of eligibility to take advantage of his skills, you can believe the Tar Heels have already penciled him in at the cornerback spot opposite Michael Waddell.

The next-best bets are at linebacker, where Fred Sparkman and Larry Edwards each have an excellent opportunity to start at the weakside outside linebacker spot. Edwards, from Tampa, Fla., has superb mobility and a nose for the football. But Sparkman, a 6-2, 215-pounder from Columbia, Tenn., may be a little bit ahead of Edwards in the experience department at linebacker. Sparkman could also wind up playing inside at some point, which would open an outside position for the 6-3, 215-pound Edwards.

I would be absolutely shocked if all three of the wide receivers in this class - Adarius Bowman, Jesse Holley and Mike Mason - don't see action next fall. It's even possible that one of them could even start, although UNC does return experienced and talented receivers in Derrele Mitchell, Jawarski Pollock and Brandon Russell. Mason, who is probably the swiftest of the freshman trio, may have the best shot because of his ability to beat people deep. Regardless, all three of these guys will see playing time.

The Tar Heels have a lot of talent returning at the safety positions, including All-American Dexter Reid. But Kareen Taylor, who comes to UNC via Fork Union Military Academy, is a real playmaker capable of spelling Reid, serving as a nickel back or being a terror on special teams.

My final candidate for early playing time is Terry Hunter of Raleigh at defensive end. Admittedly, Hunter is still a little light (245 pounds) for the Division I level, but I'm betting he's up to 255 or 260 by fall camp. The Tar Heels sorely need his quickness and agility to bolster their pass rush.

WAITING AND READY (or those who could play): Because of the immediate needs UNC has at linebacker and along the defensive front at tackle, Kory Gedin, Melik Brown, Shelton Bynum, Donnell Livingston and Thomas could all wind up in the category above. Because Brown is already enrolled at UNC and will have the advantage of participating in spring practice, he could be ready before the others. The question is where the Tar Heels will play Brown - linebacker of defensive end?

One other player whose status is hard to measure is tailback Ronnie McGill. McGill is the kind of physical back that Bunting loves, but with Chad Scott and Rikki Cook becoming eligible to join returnees Jacques Lewis and Willie Parker, you have to wonder if they'll need him next fall. Still, you have to consider McGill a possibility.

ALMOST CERTAIN TO REDSHIRT: Well, nothing is certain in this world. But quarterbacks Nick Cangelosi and Roger Heinz aren't likely to see any action with Darian Durant and C.J. Stephens back for another year, not to mention Matt Baker, for whom Bunting has a soft spot.

Cangelosi's prep teammate, Joe Kedra, is going to be a great player one day, but probably needs a full year in the strength and conditioning program to be ready to contribute. Likewise for defensive linemen Kyndraus Guy, Marcus Hands, Khalif Mitchell and Kenny Price.

With a veteran offensive line returning almost intact, Charlston Gray and Scott Lenahan are also likely redshirt candidates.

Cornerback Quinton Person and tailback-cornerback Bryan Bethea are others in line for redshirt seasons, barring injuries at their positions.

RELATIVELY SPEAKING (or who are your famous relatives?): Tight end Jon Hamlett's grandfather is a former UNC player who blocked for Charlie "Choo-Choo'' Justice.

Quarterback Roger Heinz is the brother of Florida offensive lineman Matt Heinz. Roger's father, Tom, is also a Florida State graduate.

RAW POTENTIAL (or guys you don't want to play against in two years): Topping this list is Cangelosi, a 6-4, 215-pounder with a powerful arm and quick feet. Cangelosi was a basketball player until he was convinced to join the football team at Camden Catholic High in Cherry Hill, N.J., as a freshman. He's still learning the intricacies of the position, but has star potential written all over him.

Cangelosi's Camden Catholic teammate, Kedra, has been compared to former Pittsburgh Steelers great Jack Lambert. Kedra only needs a year of strength training before he's ready to start living up to that comparison.

Guy, from Hope Mills, was used strictly as an offensive lineman at South View High, where he was tutored at the position by former East Carolina All-American blocker Wayne Inman. Guy has never played defense, but the UNC coaches noticed how quick he was off the ball in summer camp and believe he can develop into a great pass rusher. Only time will tell, but the skill is there.

CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION: Two aspects of this class should have produced an extra clap or handshake for Bunting and his staff.

First, Bunting re-established ties to the Chesapeake, Va., area that had benefited North Carolina's football program so much in the past, but had dried up in recent years.

Second, after years of watching Tennessee slip into North Carolina to claim some of the best talent here, the Tar Heels turned the table on the Volunteers this year by signing the No. 1 (Adarius Bowman) and No. 4 (Fred Sparkman) players in Tennessee away from the boys in orange.

BIG ONES THAT GOT AWAY: LaBrose Hedgemon, alias "Spiderman," committed to UNC but wanted to keep making visits. Bunting decided to pull his offer, and the Alabama cornerback wound up at Notre Dame. The blow of that loss, however, was lightened significantly by the signing of Green.

Linebackers Justin Burks and Vince Hall were primary targets for Bunting's staff, but Burks wound up signing with Arizona State and Hall with Virginia Tech.

Offensive lineman Eric Young considered UNC up to the last minute before picking Tennessee, and the Tar Heels would have loved to have gotten N.C. State signees Mario Williams, a defensive end, and linebacker Chad Green. But the latter two were out of the picture for the Tar Heels fairly early.

Rumors were floating around for nearly two months that Raeford quarterback C.J. Gaddis would wind up at UNC on signing day even though he was verbally committed to Clemson. But even though Gaddis did make an official visit to Chapel Hill after his commitment, he stuck with the Tigers.

Perhaps the biggest fish that got away from the Tar Heels was running back Tyrone Moss from Florida. Moss was the premier back that Bunting wanted for this class, but around December he eliminated UNC and wound up at Miami.