Tar Heels, Wolfpack Add Top Recruits

North Carolina has added the commitment of offensive tackle Travis Bond of Windsor Bertie High today. Bond is one of The Observer’s Top 25 prospects in the state.

And N.C. State landed an Observer South Carolina Top 25 pick in Asa Watson of Rock Hill High. Asa, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound tight end, is the younger brother of Ben Watson, currently in the NFL with New England.

The 6-foot-7, 330-pound Bond’s other finalists were Michigan, N.C. State and East Carolina, according to Bertie coach Tony Hoggard. Bond played in the Shrine Bowl this season.

Bond visited Chapel Hill over the weekend, and made his announcement today.

“Carolina got a good one,” Hoggard said. “Pass-blocking is his specialty, but he has improved tremendously in every area since he was a freshman. I really think he’ll be playing on Sundays in a few years.”

Bond is athletic for his size, and also plays basketball at Bertie.
He picked North Carolina in part because he simply liked the atmosphere there, Hoggard said.

“He had been to summer camp there a couple of times and really liked it,” Hoggard said. “He liked the coaches, and his family will be able to see him play. And they are building a heck of a program there.”

Watson's commitment has been confirmed by the Raleigh News & Observer, our sister paper.--Stan Olson