Four-star recruit to bring methodical approach to UNC's quarterback position in 2025

Bryce Baker is no stranger to being kicked off of a football field. 

After every practice, the four-star quarterback rallies his receivers and throws to them until they're too tired. When they go home, Baker said he then drags a net onto the field and throws passes into it until his coaches plead with him to go home. Or until they shut off the lights. 

“[His coaches] said, 'Can you just let Bryce know that at a certain time, we're ready to go home?’” Bryce’s father Michael Baker said. 

But the kid can’t. He has to iron out any imperfection he noticed from that day in practice. It's part of his mindset to get one percent better every day.

As the best recruit in UNC's 2025 class per On3.com and the No. 4 prospect in North Carolina per 247 Sports, Baker also possesses intangibles that could help him achieve the same success as former Tar Heels now in the NFL. His systematic approach to football has led him to North Carolina, where development and success are his only focus. 

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The recruiting spotlight fell on Baker in the spring of his sophomore year. Several Division I coaches, including UNC, N.C. State, Duke, Penn State and Clemson arrived at Walkertown High School to see him throw.

But Walkertown wouldn’t allow Baker to use the actual football field, since he was in the middle of transferring to East Forsyth High School to jump from 2A to 4A competition. Instead, Baker was told to cross the street and use the team’s practice field where thick uncut grass resembled more of a pasture than a gridiron.

“We had no paint on the fields," Baker said. "It wasn't really good."

Nonetheless, the sophomore completed a pro-day-like showcase, wowing recruiters with his arm talent and ball placement, even without yard lines to guide his throws. 

“I just remember all the coaches looking at me, looking at Bryce, and just being so excited and my husband was excited,” Bryce’s mother Charmon Baker said. “That was like where we felt, ‘Wow, he's got it. He's on to something. He's got the it factor.'” 

Thus began Baker’s “road show": a series of college visits during the summer to narrow down his choices to three schools.

And like everything in Baker’s life, the recruit took the methodical approach.

Baker created a master spreadsheet, ranking each visit based on certain criteria: how well the program develops quarterbacks, how many quarterbacks the program has put in the NFL, the “vibe of the team” and game-day atmosphere. He then rated each attribute on a 1-5 scale and created composite scores for each program.

“The purpose was to really narrow down what Bryce liked about the schools and what his top three choices were, and Carolina just kind of rose to the top,” Charmon said. 

North Carolina tied with football powerhouses Clemson and Alabama. Picking between the three was a decision Baker weighed until a dinner conversation at a camp in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

At the Manning Passing Academy quarterback camp, Baker sat down with former Tar Heel quarterback Drake Maye. Baker sought Maye's advice and his authentic opinion about UNC over dinner. 

“[We were] just talking about North Carolina, talking about the coaching staff — really seeing his genuine perspective away from the coaches,” Baker said. 

The conversation confirmed Baker’s feelings, and he committed to North Carolina less than a week later. 

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Baker chose to spend time in Chapel Hill when his parents asked him where he wanted to vacation for spring break. He attended spring practices and started learning UNC’s playbook alongside offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey. 

“He really wants to learn more and more about the game all the time,” East Forsyth football head coach Todd Willert said. “He watches film more than any high school kid I think I've ever had.”

When he attends UNC games, Baker often deciphers the play calling from the stands and tells his father what is about to happen before the ball is snapped.

His commitment to spending time on campus and being with the team has already paid dividends in building relationships with current Tar Heels. The recruit made it his goal to attend every UNC home game.

“We were there [during the game against Wake Forest], standing in the tunnel when they were coming out,” Michael said. “All the guys, the players, they know him. They come down, and every one of them spoke to him.”

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Baker doesn't want to hit a plateau. Aside from a healthy diet of film, workouts and extra practice reps, Baker lives a life committed to a football routine designed to make him better.

On Sunday afternoons, Baker goes to the Kernersville Family YMCA for recovery in the sauna and cold pool. He then plans out his week’s schedule — a careful balance of schoolwork, football and recovery — all before a strict bedtime at 10 o’clock. When he wakes up, Baker does yoga surrounded by candles while spa music plays.

“He's not a kid that we have to tell to do this,” Michael said. “Sometimes we'll even say, 'Let's see your schedule for the week and make sure you're not putting too much on yourself.'”

Baker’s devotion to his development isn’t undermined by money either. He’s turned down several fast food NIL deals because they don’t fit his dietary goals. He's signed deals with businesses in his hometown that offer cryotherapy technology, massage therapy and chiropractic sessions, aligned with his recovery routines.

“I just want to be free,” Baker said. “That comes from my preparation, and preparing my body for the practices and games.”

As Willert described it, Baker doesn’t just love the game of football, he lives it. That’s why when Baker gets to North Carolina, the first-year quarterback won’t be hard to find. 

“If you ever want to find Bryce, just find out where they work out,” Michael said. “Go down there to the indoor football facility or weight room, and that's where he's gonna be.”

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