On Thursday, the UNC football program secured a commitment from safety Julien Horton for its 2025 recruiting class.
Julien Horton, originally committed to Maryland in late March, officially flipped to North Carolina after concluding his visit to the campus. The 6-foot, 175-pound player from Bel Air (Md.) High shared his positive impressions of UNC, stating, “The visit went well. I saw a lot of things. UNC is a great place. It was a great visit… I can definitely see myself there [at UNC].”
A month after initially committing to Maryland, Julien Horton started receiving attention from Charlton Warren, UNC’s secondary coach.
“Coach Warren is a great guy,” Horton shared with Inside Carolina ahead of his official visit this weekend. “He’s been straightforward with me from the beginning. You can tell he genuinely wants what’s best for you. Even though he’s trying to sway me, he’s not trying to criticize Maryland — he’s just showing me what UNC has to offer.”
Prior to committing to Maryland, Horton had official visits lined up with Minnesota and West Virginia. Following his commitment to the Terrapins, he canceled these visits. He made an official visit to Maryland a week before visiting UNC.
In addition to UNC, Horton also attracted interest from Michigan later in the spring. He made a trip to Ann Arbor in early June, during which he received an offer from the Wolverines.
During his junior year, Julien Horton recorded 28 tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception. Offensively, he showcased versatility with 11 touchdowns: eight through receptions, two via runs, and one as a passer.
Rated as a mid-three-star prospect, according to 247Sports Composite, Horton is ranked as the No. 78 safety and the No. 894 overall recruit nationally. He is also recognized as the No. 22 prospect in Maryland.
Julien Horton’s commitment marks the addition of the second defensive back and the 11th overall recruit to join the Tar Heels’ class of 2025. He joins a group that already features high-three-star safety Javion Butts, who also recently visited Chapel Hill.
“Julien and Byron [Nelson], I was talking to a lot during the official visit,” Butts shared with Inside Carolina on Sunday. “I think there’s a good chance they end up [at UNC] — hopefully so… Hopefully, we can get all those guys.
“To be honest, I felt the most confident about Julien choosing UNC out of everyone. Byron hasn’t committed anywhere yet, so I’m optimistic about him too.”
With Horton’s commitment, UNC’s recruiting class rises from No. 49 to No. 41 in the 247Sports Team Rankings.
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