On Thursday, the University of North Carolina football department added the safety to its 2025 recruiting class.
North Carolina completed the flip of Julien Horton on Thursday morning, adding the mid-three-star safety to its commitment roster.
Horton, a 6-foot-175-pounder from Bel Air (Md.) High, had committed to Maryland in late March. He ended that pledge on Sunday, just after wrapping up his formal visit to North Carolina.
“The [UNC] visit went very well,” Horton told Inside Carolina on Sunday. “I saw a lot of stuff. UNC is a fantastic place. It was a wonderful visit… “I can definitely see myself at UNC.”
A month after committing to Maryland, Horton started hearing from Charlton Warren, UNC’s secondary coach.
“Coach Warren is a great guy,” Horton told Inside Carolina ahead of this weekend’s official visit. “He’s been straightforward with me from the start. You can tell he only wants the best for you. Even though he’s trying to persuade me, he’s not trying to knock Maryland; he’s simply showing me what UNC has to offer.”
Before committing to the Terrapins, Horton planned formal visits to Maryland, Minnesota, and West Virginia. Due to his UMd commitment, he canceled the last two trips. A week before leaving for UNC, he paid an official visit to Maryland.
Like UNC, Michigan started wooing Horton late in the spring. He went to Ann Arbor in early June, and the Wolverines offered.
As a junior, Horton recorded 28 tackles, three pass breakups, and one interception. He also scored 11 offensive touchdowns, eight on grabs, two on runs, and one via pass.
In addition to his mid-three-star rating, the 247Sports Composite ranks Horton as the No. 78 safety and No. 894 overall recruit in the country. It also ranks him as Maryland’s No. 22 prospect.
Horton joins the Tar Heels as the second defensive back and 11th overall recruit in the 2025 class. He joins a class that already includes three-star safety Javion Butts. Butts, like Horton, made an official visit to Chapel Hill this past weekend.
“Julien and Byron [Nelson], I was talking to a good bit [during the official],” Butts said on Sunday. “I believe there is a fair probability they will attend UNC — hoping… Hopefully, we can get all of those boys.
To be honest, Julien, I had the most positive feelings about UNC’s chances of any of them. Byron isn’t committed to anyone, so I feel okay about him, too.”
With Horton’s commitment, UNC’s class rises to No. 41 from No. 49 in the 247Sports Team Rankings.
