North Carolina will welcome two placekickers to the class of 2017 after Cooper Graham announced late Tuesday night he will attend UNC and kick for the Tar Heels.
Graham, 5-10, 180 pounds, is originally from Asheville, NC, but spent his senior season kicking at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. Noah Ruggles committed a few days ago, and now Graham makes it two kickers for the Tar Heels.
“It’s been a long and hard process, but I have made my decision to spend my next 4 years playing football at the University of Chapel Hill,” Graham wrote on Twitter late Tuesday night. “Cannot wait to see what the Lord has planned for me and I am ready to get started on the next chapter in life.”
UNC must find a replacement for Nick Weiler, who graduated and has moved on. Still on the roster is Freeman Jones, who will be a junior and came in highly touted a couple of years ago, and Ruggles.
For Graham, Carolina was a school he’s wanted to be a part of all along.
“I think Chapel Hill as a school is like no other,” he told THI. “The football program is top notch and the coaching staff is a great. Being there for 4 years would be a great experience. Their academics is like no other school in the nation, and for pre dentistry I think that program would fit me well in the future.”