UNC wide receiver Devontez 'Tez' Walker ruled immediately eligible

On Thursday afternoon, UNC junior wide receiver Devontez 'Tez' Walker called his grandmother, Loretta Black.

"He said, 'Have you heard I'm playing Saturday?'" Black said, with a laugh.

UNC and the NCAA announced Thursday that Walker has been granted immediate eligibility for the 2023 football season. The transfer — and preseason first-team All-ACC pick believed to be North Carolina's top target at wideout — will play his first game in Carolina Blue on Saturday as UNC hosts Syracuse. 

"I'm so excited and thankful that the NCAA has granted my eligibility to play this season," Walker wrote in his statement on Thursday. "This hasn't been easy, but I'm looking forward to putting this in the past and moving forward."

This is a stark reversal from the NCAA's previous stance. Less than a month ago, on Sept. 7, Walker was denied eligibility for the 2023 season. 

In a statement on Thursday, UNC head coach Mack Brown thanked both the NCAA for re-examining Walker's case, as well as "the people at UNC who have worked tirelessly to assist Tez."

"Everything that's transpired over the last few months has been with the sole purpose of helping and supporting him, and now he's going to have a chance to live his dream," Brown wrote in the statement.

Still, not everything was sunshine and daisies, with the NCAA and UNC exchanging bitter words yet again over Walker's case.

According to a statement released by NCAA president Charlie Baker and Division I Board of Directors chair Jere Morehead on Thursday afternoon, this recent decision transpired after NCAA staff received new information regarding Walker this week that qualifies him for a transfer waiver. 

Baker and Morehead wrote that the "information had not been made available by UNC previously, despite the school's multiple chances to do so," and called the situation "unfortunate."

Following the NCAA’s statement on Thursday afternoon, UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a post on X that “the justification provided by the NCAA today is not accurate.”

“The University submitted all necessary information and documentation as it was made available to us at the time and we still believe Tez met all standards for the waiver in early August,” Cunningham said. “It is not clear why the NCAA delayed making the correct decision then, but we are pleased to get to the appropriate resolution now.”

UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz released a statement on Thursday afternoon expressing elation at the resolution for Walker, saying the NCAA made the "right decision."

"We know that he has been through a lot as we pursued numerous appeals with the NCAA," Guskiewicz said. "UNC provided all available information at every step of the process. I want to thank everyone at Carolina who worked in support of Tez. In our stated effort to exhaust all avenues, new information about this matter came to our attention and we immediately gathered and submitted it for consideration."

Several North Carolina politicians have voiced their opinions on this matter since UNC football first released information regarding Walker's battle for immediate eligibility during fall camp on Aug. 8. 

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, as well as Gov. Roy Cooper, said they sent letters to the NCAA regarding Walker's status prior to Thursday's decision.

Stein said in a post on X that he is "gratified" the NCAA listened to his demand that it "reconsider its unfair decision" in the letter he sent last week, and he wishes Walker "nothing but the best." 

Cooper also posted about Walker on Thursday, calling the NCAA's decision "better late than never."

But, of course, perhaps nobody is as excited as Walker's grandmother, Black, who will make the trip to Chapel Hill to watch her grandson play this weekend. 

"I praise God Almighty," Black said. "Because this is what our family's been praying for."

@shelbymswanson

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com