CHAPEL HILL – Kaimon Rucker’s commitment to North Carolina in June of 2019 did not really generate a major buzz, unlike some other members of the same class that popped for UNC.

But one could make a cogent argument that Rucker was Carolina’s best freshman last season, at least in terms of contributing from game one through the Orange Bowl. Or one could advance the notion he was the best newcomer until the youth movement occurred during the Wake Forest game in November. Either way, Rucker played a big role as a true freshman, clearly exceeding the expectations if gauging performance based on the reaction to his commitment means anything.

A 3-star weakside defensive end who attended Hart County High School in Hartwell, GA, Rucker arrived at UNC last summer ready to roll. He quickly picked up on things and showed the coaching staff he was physically ready to get after it, so they immediately trusted him.

Rucker played 22 snaps in the opener versus Syracuse, giving defensive coordinator Jay Bateman some needed athletic ability on the edge, plus the smarts to go with the job, too. In the following game at Boston College, Rucker played 21 snaps, and among his better plays was when he slammed Eagles’ quarterback Phil Jurkovec to the turf in the first half.

“He gives us a little bit of a different edge rush,” defensive coordinator Jay Bateman said.

Rucker finished the season with 21 tackles, including three for a loss of yardage. He played 193 defensive snaps and graded out at 72.7, according to PFF, which was third on the team for anyone with 100 or more snaps on that side of the ball.

Now, he is ready for more. Bigger, faster, quicker, stronger, and better. Just ask Jeremiah Gemmel, Carolina’s leader on defense and perhaps the most perceptive player on the roster.

“He’s going to be a great player for us,” Gemmel said. “He’s going to play a lot more snaps for us than he did last year. He’s an every-down guy. He can rush, get to the passer. Some people look at him, he’s a little bit smaller than some of our outside backers and a little bit smaller than our d-linemen, but when he’s in a 4I or he’s outside playing a nine technique, he’s really good at setting the edge and not moving his body.”

Rucker’s confidence is booming, but he is nowhere close to being satisfied. Not at all.

“I feel like one of my biggest strengths, and I'm gonna continue to work on, is just setting the edge as an outside linebacker and also being as versatile as I can,” Rucker said. “Lining up from a 4I all the way to a nine.

“And I feel like, as I continue to do that, I feel I'm gonna get better alongside some other things like pass rushing. And I'm developing my skills also inside with the guards and the inside shoulders of the tackles.”

Strong enough and quick off the ball enough to put a hand on the ground, but quick and reactive enough, fast enough, alert and smart enough to play upright at outside linebacker. At 6-foot-1, 265 pounds and quite athletic, he holds many of the classic hybrid attributes in Bateman’s system.

“That is one of my biggest challenges is learning how to drop in coverage,” Rucker said. “I know in my later years in high school I didn’t really drop into coverage, and last year I did that little-to-none. So that’s one of my biggest challenges. But I’m ready to face it head on, it’s a great challenge and I also love doing it.”

It has taken some work and requires more, though.

“This year, especially this spring, I’ve (worked) more in the rush position than I am the end position like I was last year lined up as a 4I and (sometimes) go all the way down to the 3 technique,” Rucker said. “I’m working more to drop into coverage like linebackers and also setting the edge as a 5-technique and 9-technique. So, I’m working more as an outside linebacker.”

Rucker’s ascent did not surprise the staff. Star rankings don’t matter to most successful coaches, which is an apt description of Mack Brown and his Hall of Fame career. When he sees the goods, he sees the goods.

“Kaimon’s a guy that we liked from day one,” Brown said. “He’s a National Honor Society student, he’s a leader in his school and his community and on his team… And he plays really, really hard every play.

“He’s just a special young man and we think he will be a great player for us before he leaves.”

Already a noteworthy part of Carolina’s plans, it appears Rucker is on course to meeting Brown’s projection.