For the third consecutive day this weekend, a four-star prospect has verbally committed to North Carolina. Eli Sutton announced his commitment on Sunday. He's the first out-of-state recruit to pledge to the Heels for their 2021 recruiting class.

The commitment comes a month after Sutton, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound offensive tackle from Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy, named Duke, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Miami, UNC, Northwestern, and Penn State his seven finalists.

Stacy Searels, the Tar Heels' offensive line coach, led UNC's courting of Sutton.

Out of convenience -- because UNC wasn't showing him interest at the time -- Sutton decided to drop by UNC on Jan. 19 while in the area to visit Duke. That Chapel Hill stay resulted in a scholarship offer for the Heels and ostensibly set the stage for his eventual commitment.

"UNC, obviously, has been on the upward track just because of how the season ended and the way Mack Brown has historically run his programs," Sutton said. "And, the fact that UNC is such a prestigious public university, that mix of academics and the ability to win football games has always been intriguing to me."

Eli Sutton

This prolific recruiting weekend for UNC started on Friday, when four-star quarterback Drake Maye pledged to the Heels. That was followed by four star wide receiver Kobe Paysour's UNC commitment on Saturday.

In total, UNC has now secured commitments from eight four-stars: wideout Gavin Blackwell, linebacker Power Echols, Maye, defensive back Dontavius Nash, Paysour, linebacker Gabe Stephens, and now Sutton. As of Sunday, no other school in the nation has more four-star prospects commitmented (Clemson and Florida also have eight to date).

This 2021 class that's been assembled thus far -- and the addition of Sutton -- fits the makeup and goals that Mack Brown aims to achieve on the recruiting trail.

"Our rule of thumb is that if we can find the player that we feel like can win all the games in the state of North Carolina, we are going to take him," Brown said. "If we feel like there is a better player than that out of state and the one here is just not quite what we want, then we will go out of state. And that is why your out-of-state players are usually pretty special because they are better than the ones you can find at that position in-state."

In addition to his four-star rating, 247Sports Composite ranks Sutton as the nation's No. 21 offensive tackle and No. 168 prospect overall.

"Things are much better than they were a year ago," Brown said. "People know our crowds are going to be packed. They know that we are going to win. They all want to be part of it now. ... I really feel like that this year's recruiting class will be much better than last year's when we get through."