By Cole Laing
Au’tori Newkirk is the second QB committed to the Tar Heels’ Class of 2025 recruiting class. Bill Belichick and GM Michael Lombardi have been busy building their roster since their arrival in Chapel Hill. Newkirk is the third 2025 commit for the Tar Heels’, joining EDGE Chinedu Onyeagoro and Kicker Guytano Bartolomeo to go along with 18 players from the Transfer Portal. Retaining players has also been important, including top-10 quarterback Bryce Baker, who was introduced with Coach Belichick during a UNC basketball game on December 15, reaffirming his commitment to the new regime.
Newkirk lacked Power-4 offers prior to UNC, receiving notable offers from Temple, William & Mary, Toledo, Howard, and UMass. What the Tar Heels is getting in Newkirk is a winner. As a two-year starter at Virginia’s Maury High School, he went undefeated winning two state championships. His scouting report shows that he will be a high-upside prospect and a great addition to the QB room. This is a low-risk and high-reward signing for the Tar Heels and he will provide good competition for Bryce Baker as long as they play together.
Au’Tori Newkirk Scouting Report
Newkirk currently has very good height and size, standing at 6’3” and 200 lbs. Very good athletic ability, displaying very good acceleration, foot quickness, lateral agility, balance, flexibility, good explosiveness, foot speed, and change of direction. Displays good decision-making, throwing to the open receiver on the designed play and not forcing unnecessary throws. Very good poise in the pocket and is willing to stand and throw the ball under pressure. Very good pocket presence to sense the rush and maneuver in the pocket with balance, quickness, and keeping a good bend in his stance.
Possesses elite functional arm strength, able to make throws on all levels of the field with touch on the throw, adding zip to fire in a tight window and air on the ball when needed. Very good accuracy within the pocket, leading his receivers in their routes with very good timing on all levels of the field and keeping the ball away from defenders. Very good ability to extend plays out of the pocket, using his very good athleticism to evade the rush and roll out. Keeps his eyes downfield with a throw-first mentality, displaying good accuracy when throwing on the run and placing the ball within the frame of the receiver. Good as a runner, protecting the ball, running with very good balance and physicality to run through defenders, and solid elusiveness in the open field to make defenders miss.
Newkirk will need to develop his progression reads, and tends to eye down his main receiver in the pocket, leading him to throw receivers into contact they cannot avoid. I would like to see more consistent pocket footwork mechanics to utilize his full body in his throwing motion. Overall, Newkirk is a prospect with very good upside due to his arm strength, accuracy, and poise. To become a starter, he will need to develop his route progression processing and footwork mechanics and should be pushing for playing time by year three.
