Contract Signed….

UNC football added the first defensive back to its 2025 recruiting collection on Sunday afternoon via the commitment from Jones Country High School (Ga.) safety Javion Butts. The 6-foot, 180-pound three-star chose the Tar Heels over nearly two dozen other schools that offered him a scholarship, including UNC rivals Duke and NC State.

Butts, a top-shelf disruptor and speedster who sits No. 43 at his position and No. 54 among Georgia prospects in the eyes of 247Sports’ early 2025 rankings, revealed his pledge to head coach Mack Brown and his staff via the following post on social media that refers to the UNC football program as his new home

He never took an official visit to Chapel Hill, per 247Sports’ Don Callahan, but has been on campus for several unofficial visits with the Tar Heels.

One of those trips coincided with UNC’s dramatic win over Appalachian State in the team’s 2023 home opener. Another included Butts’ attendance in the Dean E. Smith Center for the UNC basketball squad’s victory over the archnemesis Blue Devils in early February, and it seems that visit all but sealed the deal.

The other six members of the 2025 UNC football haul are four-star offensive tackle Alex Payne, three-star quarterback Bryce Baker, three-star tight end Marshall Pritchett, three-star edge rusher Kamden Laudenslager, three-star inside offensive lineman Trey Blue, and three-star tight end Logan Farrell.

According to 247Sports, the class ranks No. 21 in the country and No. 5 among ACC programs (counting new member SMU at No. 16 overall).