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Riverside High School head coach Matthew Rochester said these words regarding Marcus Downs, a 3-star defensive tackle under his direction that is a North Carolina for its class of 2024:

“(Marcus) is a great young man with a very high ceiling,” Rochester said. “He is a big body guy that can plan multiple positions upfront. For us, he played nose, 3-tech, and will play end in pass rush situations. He has really improved his flexibility and strength and I’m excited to see what he does this season.”

Possessing physicality and sound technique, Downs is a domineering presence at times. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, many noteworthy programs have taken notice, as his offer list includes Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Miami (FL), Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and others, including UNC, of course.

Downs told THI he believes UNC will factor into the top mix when he makes his final decision.

“Oh yeah, definitely. Yeah, I definitely have them up there,” he said.