2025 Rivals250 QB Bryce Baker commits to North Carolina

North Carolina is getting a jump on their 2025 class and making a statement at the same time. Rivals250 quarterback Bryce Baker just announced his commitment to the Tar Heels. The No. 10 quarterback in the 2025 class is the 14th quarterback to announce his commitment and the first to join North Carolina’s recruiting class for next year.

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"It really started with their spring practice and how I felt going on campus," Baker said. "I felt like their spring practice was different regarding their quarterback level of play and all the way to how they operate. I felt like they’re more purposeful, efficient, and I just loved the flow of their practice. It was also about my trust in the coaching staff. Coach Lindsey and I have been talking frequently and consistently. On my unofficial visit there I was able to meet with coach Brown. We went in his office and just talked not only football but life, student life, career paths, and his genuine love for his players. UNC’s support and proof of being able to help me get to my goal, the NFL, and ability to develop me gained my trust.

"Coach Lindsey’s genuine relationships with his players stood out," he said. "I asked him what makes him different than other quarterback coaches and he could have talked about getting guys to the NFL or his knowledge of the game but he understands that may be consistent throughout college so he said it’s his relationships and how he doesn’t change once you’re there or while he’s recruiting you. He’ll have that genuine love, care, and support for you as a person.

"Coach Brown and I mainly talked about family," said Baker. "That kept coming up. UNC has that family atmosphere that’s great for freshmen who are coming in. That’s great to have so he highlighted that and he talked about what my family is doing. He also talked about how he cares for his athletes and asked me some questions to figure out who I am as a person. He asked me some deep questions to see how I responded.

"I asked Drake (Maye) what goes into his decisions, why he feels his success came this way, and how the development is at UNC," he said. "It all wraps up into the development and genuine care and support they have there. He expressed how coach Lindsey prepares him mentally and physically and how he doesn’t take it easy on him and during practice challenges Drake. He also said how coach Brown is someone you can always talk to but he has two different personalities because when he’s on the field he’s locked in and is a winner. That was great to hear. One question I asked him was 'If you weren’t where you are, do you feel this coaching staff could still prepare you for the NFL?' He straight up said yes and he explained why. His explanation was about how coach Lindsey coaches and the knowledge he has. If you don’t understand something, you have the ability to ask and you just have to be bought in and internally motivated to go get it.

"Once everybody sees that I’ve committed to UNC, I’ll have a list of other top prospects that I’ll recruit," Baker said. "I want to utilize my leadership to try to get them to come ball with me and express to them what UNC brings and why I chose the Tar Heels."

The talent under center at North Carolina isn't going to drop off much once Drake Maye heads off for the NFL. Baker is a special talent at the position and he still has two years of high school to continue to hone his skills. At multiple events this offseason, including the Atlanta Rivals Camp, Baker showed off his big time arm, going throw for throw with some of the highest profile quarterbacks in the 2024 class. He throws an accurate ball from the pocket and on the run. Baker was consistently accurate while throwing from multiple arm angles and did a nice job of leading his receivers. He'll face a significant step up in competition this season at Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth compared to last year as a sophomore at Walkertown (N.C.) High so it'll be important for him to show off his development on the field this fall.

For North Carolina, getting Baker onboard this early in the process is a big statement. Nine Power Five programs had already offered him but dozens more were tracking his development. If Baker's first few games this fall are as impressive as we expect them to be, more Power Five offers are expected to come his way.