On3 top-40 safety Malcolm Ziglar commits to North Carolina: 'The people there care'

Fuquay Varina (N.C.) four-star safety Malcolm Ziglar admits that he was a bit of a late bloomer when it came to his recruitment. Power Five offers started rolling his way in January and he steadily saw his list grow to 26.

His initial top three included North Carolina, South Carolina and Wake Forest. Towards late spring that list was down to just North Carolina and South Carolina. At the end of May, Ziglar’s list was down to one.

That one in particular was North Carolina as he announced his pledge to the Tar Heels on Monday.

“That feeling at North Carolina was just different for me,” Ziglar told On3. “I liked South Carolina a lot too, it is in the SEC, but the conference doesn’t make the players, the coaches do. Being able to stay home, play in my home-state and be close to my family made a big difference in my decision.”

North Carolina extended Ziglar an offer in late-January. From the get-go he said that he was high on the Tar Heels for several reasons.

One of the biggest reasons was a memory dating back to 2013 when he was six or seven years old.

“My dad is in the military and he was overseas, but North Carolina honored my family that day and my dad ran onto the field,” said Ziglar, the No. 39 player in the 2024 On300. “I’ll never forget that. We were looking at a video of him on the jumbtron from over seas, then there he was.

…For me, that’s what North Carolina is all about. The people there care.”

Tar Heels coaches made a huge impression on Ziglar

One of the other biggest factors in helping the Tar Heels keep Ziglar home is there coaching staff. Particularly, Mack Brown.

“It starts at the top with Coach Brown,” Ziglar said. “I don’t have anything but great things to say about him. He is a great, genuine guy and I love Coach Brown because his attitude trickles down to the whole staff. Everyone is well-rounded, genuine and just great to be around.”

A few of North Carolina’s other standout coaches in Ziglar’s recruitment Charlton Warren and Gene Chizik. Ziglar that those two alongside Brown made him feel like a priority from the moment they first offered. Warren is who Ziglar talks to the most and the two have built a solid relationship over the last six months.

Between those relationships and everything just coming together, heading to Chapel Hill seemed like the most logical choice in Ziglar’s mind.

“Before I started getting recruited, my coach asked me where I would want to go if I got the offers and I said North Carolina,” Ziglar said. “It doesn’t always work out that way, and things change with offers and visits, but I got lucky. I have always liked North Carolina and I like that it is 50 minutes from home, close to my family has great people and the academics are strong.”