ESPN: Reasons why UNC quarterback commit, ascent to the four-star rating.

Scouts examine Baker’s ascent to the four-star rating.

Bryce Baker, a quarterback recruit to North Carolina, had an outstanding junior season at Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth last year and garnered attention on the offseason camp circuit. Scouts noticed. With the release of 247Sports’ updated 2025 class rankings on Wednesday, the future Tar Heel was awarded four stars. Baker’s rise from outside the Top 247 to No. 160 in the rankings was the third-biggest gain of any prospect. Right now, he is ranked as the No. 5 player in North Carolina and the No. 11 quarterback in the entire country.

With 12 commitments, UNC’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 13 in the ACC and No. 50 in the country. Both Baker and Alex Payne, a four-star offensive tackle, are ranked in the Top 247 among Tar Heel pledges. In the update, Payne is ranked No. 132.

“At the Elite 11 Finals, Baker solidified his status as one of the class’s most promising signal-callers, solidifying his impact from the Elite 11 regional outside of Atlanta in April,” 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins stated. “The dual-threat player was among the best at distributing on the go and was steady throughout the course of the three days. We are also optimistic about his future after closely examining the 11th-grade footage because there weren’t many passes that were deserving of a turnover.”

Fresh off that elite showing at the Elite 11 Finals, Ivins said Baker gives UNC head coach Mack Brown “hope for one more magical run” in Chapel Hill.

Ivins stated in June, “Baker was one of the biggest surprises of the week.” “The well-built quarterback had no trouble gaining velocity and was regularly in rhythm. Mack Brown will turn 73 in August, and as time goes on, he’ll get closer to retiring. Baker could have to be the man in the middle for the Tar Heels, who had some hidden gems in a recruiting class that concluded the 2024 cycle ranked No. 26 nationally, if the seasoned coach wants to add one more double-digit season to the biography.

You have to wonder whether Brown would be reasonably impatient in 2025 to see if Baker’s kind of potential can gain him a ticket to the expanded College Football Playoff, assuming he can live up to expectations in 2024 and if all parties agree on a return.”

As a junior last season, Baker guided East Forsyth to a 10-2 record and the second round of the North Carolina 4A playoffs. With three interceptions, he completed 211 of 317 passes (66.6 percent) for 3,082 yards and 39 touchdowns. Moreover, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry while running for 233 yards and three touchdowns. He scored 1,000 points in basketball for his high school team as well.

“He owns big 10.25-inch hands and had the second-best turnover rate amongst all the Elite 11 finalists last season, throwing an interception just once every 105 pass attempts,” Ivins stated. “He’s in the mold of a Jalen Milroe and can add value to the run game for North Carolina, who has a few more promising offensive pieces on the commit list.”