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While it may still be early in his recruitment, North Carolina is figuring to be a top contender in what is currently a five-team race for Marshall Pritchett, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound class of 2025 do-it-all ATH from Charleston, SC.

Pritchett has offers from UNC, Boston College, UAB, UCF, and Vanderbilt.

The prospect has played several positions during his two years on the prep high school football gridiron, including quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, and defensive back.

The athlete recorded 800 yards and 12 touchdowns on offense and 63 tackles on defense in 2021 at Porter Gaud (Charleston) as a freshman before transitioning to his current position as a tight end at Rabun-Gap Nacoochee (Georgia), where he recorded 900 yards and nine touchdowns on 52 receptions, recording 17.3 yards per reception.

The rangy, physical, lean, and mean athlete is an excellent route runner, creates great separation, and can elevate to the highest level to pinpoint the ball and make the catch. Also starring at lacrosse, the dangerous athlete lays nasty blocks and still has plenty room to grow on his frame, which is intriguing indeed.

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“I’m just excited to see how everything plays out, and I definitely consider (UNC) as one of my top schools moving forward,” he told THI.

When Tar Heels tight ends coach John Lily joined the Carolina Panthers in February, he was replaced by Freddie Kitchens, who served as tight ends coach with the Cowboys, Cardinals, Giants, among other roles, including as Browns’ head coach in 2019.

Kitchens quickly bridged the gap left by his predecessor, Pritchett said when he recently spoke with us.

“He came by my school (May 2),” Pritchett said. “I mean, I literally didn’t have (my) last period of class, so I was with him for (about) three hours. My head coach (Derek White) just chopped it up.

“You know, some things about football. Not just that, but just continuing to grow. That relationship with him is good. Right now, I’m at a really good spot with him, and I love the things he says about me. I love his vision for me at UNC, and our relationship is only going to continue to grow with time,” he said.

Kitchens returned just days later to witness Marshall’s lacrosse game over the weekend, making the 300-mile trek from Chapel Hill to Rabun Gap.

Marshall’s latest visit to UNC was on Jan. 11. He made the trip alongside his brother, Lawson Pritchett, a Rabun-Gap defensive back that has offers from Air Force, Army, and Charleston Southern and interest from the Tar Heels and others.

“It was awesome,” he said. “We got to take pictures and eat with the coaching staff. That was still when Lily was the tight ends coach. I built a good relationship with him. He ended up leaving for the Panthers, and in came Freddie Kitchens.”

The transition has been exceptionally smooth.

“Coach Kitchens told me he values our relationship and he wants to continue to build it. That’s why he wants to meet my parents. He wants to become more involved in my recruitment, and all signs point to our relationship getting better over time,” Pritchett said.

Pritchett also said that he loves what he sees in head coach Mack Brown, who may also ultimately end up playing a major factor in Marshall’s final decision.

“I like Coach Brown a lot,” he said. “Just the simplicity he brings as head coach, and when I met him, it was more of you know, just as a recruit, I’m joining part of a family if I decided to come to UNC. That’s what I liked about him. I didn’t get to have too long of a talk with him, but it was enjoyable, and I hope I get to spend more time with him.”

Marshall said that he met the head coach and his wife.

Academics and program culture are two other foundational elements for Pritchett, and the Tar Heels have plenty to offer on both ends.

“When it comes to recruitment, one box that has to be checked is that I want to go to a university with good academics,” he said. “And culture means a lot. A combination of athletics and academics would probably be considered. The most important thing is that UNC is not shy about the importance of academics and family. A good (offensive) scheme, academics, and great culture over there in Chapel Hill is why I have so much interest in them.”

Kitchens told Pritchett that the offense will remain very similar despite the absence of former offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who went to Madison to serve the same role at Wisconsin.

“He said the offense will be very similar, even under different management when it comes to the sets that they use,” he said.

Marshall would seek to emulate star Tar Heels tight end Bryson Nesbitt if he were to sign with UNC, and his would-be position coach agrees.

“I was talking to (Kitchens) Tuesday about that,” he said. “Bryson is where (I would want) to end up. He said that I would (basically) be doing the same thing.”

The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee tight end explained in further detail on how he could potentially fit into North Carolina’s spread offense from a schematics standpoint:

“I would have the ability as tight end, or whatever they want to call me, to play behind the tackle. I would rarely ever have my hand in the ground, but I would be able to work stuff out of the backfield like an H-Back,” Pritchett said.

Count Pritchett as a fan of the Tar Heels’ offensive system.

“The uniqueness of the UNC offense for me as a lighter guy and more of a wide receiver and how they utilize receivers or tight ends on the outside perimeter is something that’s important to me,” he said. “(The Tar Heels) found a way to get them the ball consistently. You couldn't really ask for more than that at tight end.”

THI: On Bryson Nesbitt

PRICHETT: “If you watch film on Bryson Nesbitt, he had a field day this year running from the No. 2 in trips and doing stuff over the middle.”

THI: What is your skillset?

PRICHETT: “I would say that I’m just a versatile route runner. I can kind of do it all, from the outside and from the inside. That’s probably the best aspect of my game. It’s just the versatility that I have, and I think that’s why some schools have offered me as a receiver and some as a tight end, because I feel like I have the body to play tight end and the skillset to be a wide receiver.”

THI: On North Carolina’s campus

PRICHETT: “I enjoy it a lot. I’ve been a lot. I’ve seen it several times on different occasions. It’s very pretty.”

THI: On the importance of the offensive scheme in his recruitment

PRICHETT: “No matter where I end up going, there are boxes that need to be checked. The number one most important thing has got to be (fitting in schematically). I want to go somewhere that’s a fit.”