Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama in position to flip North Carolina's three-star TE commit Marshall Pritchett

By Maliha

Modified Oct 08, 2024 14:32 GMT

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Three-star tight end Marshall Pritchett, son of Notre Dame alum and former NFL linebacker Wes Pritchett, remains one of the highest-rated prospects in North Carolina's 2025 class. He gave his pledge to the Tar Heels in March, picking the school over Alabama, Georgia, Miami, South Carolina, Michigan, Florida State and Clemson, among others.

However, Alabama has now emerged as the prime contender to flip Pritchett from North Carolina. On Monday, On3's Steve Wiltfong logged an expert prediction for Alabama to flip him. On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine also gives the Crimson Tide a 91.2% chance of winning his pledge.

The standout from Ruban Gap-Nacoochee High School in Georgia unofficially visited Alabama on March 6 and earned an offer from the school in May. He made a gameday visit to coach Kalen DeBoer's program last Saturday for the Georgia game and saw the Crimson Tide pulling off a 41-34 win.

In an interview with 247Sports, the North Carolina commit had heavy praise about the trip.

"To start off, it was an incredible day from start to finish," Pritchett said.

However, the Tar Heels were one of the first schools to offer Pritchett last year, and he was treated like a "priority" from the beginning. When he committed to the school, he credited its coaching staff for the pitch.

“The staff was a big part of my decision," Pritchett told On3. "I can say that I was always comfortable around them. Coach Brown, Coach Freddie Kitchens, Coach Chip Lindsey and the whole coaching staff made me comfortable."

North Carolina's 2025 class has 14 committed players, ranking No. 36 in the nation. Meanwhile, Alabama's class this cycle ranks No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference with multiple five-star prospects, which may eventually trigger Marshall Pritchett to flip from his North Carolina commitment.

What will Marshall Pritchett's potential flip mean to Alabama?

Marshall Pritchett began his high school career as a quarterback before transitioning to a wide receiver and eventually finding his niche as a tight end. This versatility has made him a lucrative prospect, as he possesses strong ball skills and also can excel in running routes and blocking.

Pritchett is ranked by On3 as the nation's No. 29 tight end in the 2025 class and the No. 53 recruit in Georgia. 247Sports places him as the nation's No. 36 tight end in the class and the No. 76 recruit in the state.

The tight end's three-star rating might raise eyebrows, but history has shown that rankings are not always indicative of future success. A prime example is Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who entered college as a mere two-star recruit but went on to win back-to-back Super Bowls alongside Patrick Mahomes.

Marshall Pritchett’s ball skills and ability to be a two-level pass catcher position him to follow a similar route as Kelce.

Alabama already has a four-star tight end commit in Kaleb Edwards, but the coaching staff is keen on bolstering the roster with more talent at the position.