VA WR, Paschall, Hitting It Off
Highland Springs (VA) High School wide receiver Ali Jennings was in awe of his first interaction with North Carolina wide receivers coach Luke Paschall this past week, and things went so well he was offered right on the spot.
"It was crazy. When I talked to Coach (Luke) Paschall yesterday, he said he couldn't wait to meet me in person," the class of 2019 prospect told THI "Then today, he came to my school, we shook hands and he offered me right there. I immediately hugged him. "
Jennings (6-2, 186 pounds) also has offered from West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Navy and Marshall among others, but the possibility of playing against his brother, Clemson’s K’Von Wallace, resonates closely to him.
"I was excited with this being my first ACC offer," he said. "I might get the chance to play against my brother, a safety at Clemson."
Even though he still has plenty of time before making a decision, the Tar Heels staff have made a strong pitch on how they see him fitting in their program, and it’s making an impression on Jennings.
"They like my ability to track the ball, run clean routed and the fact that I want to be pushed to reach maximum potential," he said. "I'm still only 16, so I'm young for my class and still have a lot of room to grow so my maturity on and off the field made them like me that much more.
"Also, they want good character guys to come in and set the example in the classroom and off the field, so to offer me that says a lot about me and the work I've put into being a young man, student athlete and a leader."
While he did visit Carolina briefly three years ago, Jennings is hoping to schedule a more in-depth trip this summer.
"I like UNC. I'm going to visit there again soon now that they've offered me," he said. "I went to a camp as a 10th grader so I got a small dose of campus, but I want a more
personal visit, feel for the coaches and the program."
So, outside of the return visit to Chapel Hill, what else does Jennings have planned in the next few months?
"Georgia, Clemson, Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn and Michigan all want me to come for the first time, and others want me back for a more personal visit, but things could change with my recruitment picked up each week."