North Carolina lands No. 13 overall recruit Zach Rice

Five-star offensive tackle Zach Rice has committed to North Carolina, he told CBS Sports on Thursday.

Ranked the No. 13 overall recruit by ESPN, Rice chose the Tar Heels over Alabama, Virginia, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.

Rice is ranked third overall at his position and the top prospect in the state of Virginia.

He's the first five-star pickup of the Tar Heels' 2022 class, according to ESPN. Their '22 class also includes eight four-star prospects, including defensive tackle Travis Shaw, who's ranked No. 20 overall.