Highsmith turning heads at UNC

CHAPEL HILL — During a preseason photo shoot at the University of North Carolina, jerseys were being handed out. Someone hollered, “Highsmith, number 88.”

In disbelief, freshman Erik Highsmith accepted the uniform worn by former Tar Heel All-ACC receiver Hakeem Nicks.

With a 113-yard performance against East Carolina Saturday, Highsmith is already garnering national attention. The Vanceboro native is living up to the number on his jersey.

“I don’t know who is going to wear those numbers in the next 25 years, but whoever comes in, I would ask for number 88,” said North Carolina coach Butch Davis said at Saturday’s post game press conference. “Erik Highsmith just puts himself in a position to make sure that he gives himself a chance to catch the ball and be in the right spot.”

Making his first career start against ECU Saturday, Highsmith became the the first true freshman since Nicks (in 2006) to have a 100-yard receiving game.  He also became the first UNC receiver this year to to go over the 100-yard mark.

Nicks, a current rookie with the New York Giants, amassed 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns last season at UNC. Highsmith said he hopes to be the next great Tar Heel receiver.

 “I definitely have some big shoes to fill,” Highsmith said. “I have a lot of pressure on me by wearing this number. I’m just honored to be mentioned in the same category as Hakeem Nicks.”

Highsmith caught four passes for 59 yards against Connecticut in UNC’s season opener. The following Monday, the former West Craven standout was told he would start against ECU, a school that recruited him but never offered him a scholarship.

He was motivated all week by teammates Greg Little and Shaun Draughn.

Against the Pirates, Highsmith hauled in a 16-yard touchdown reception, and he was penalized for excessive celebration after blowing kisses at the ECU fans in attendance.

“I just wanted to embarrass them a little bit because they didn’t recruit me hard like I wanted them too,” he said. “That just stayed in my mind a little bit.”

Highsmith admitted he was nervous at first, but as the game went along, he felt more comfortable. He became quarterback T.J. Yates’ main target.

Highsmith’s catches on slant patterns and screen passes opened up a 59-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jheranie Boyd in the second quarter.

“Erik will probably have a game like that every single day,” Boyd told the Durham Sun. “He’s a great receiver. He helps me out, I help him out. You really can’t guard us.”

 “It feels good, just to start as a freshman,” Highsmith said. “After a couple plays, it just slowed down for me and I felt comfortable. It felt like high school again.”

Highsmith, who caught 90 passes for 1,543 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior for West Craven, didn’t expect to make an immediate impact as a freshman, but an injury to sophomore wide receiver Dwight Jones gave him a chance.

He impressed the coaches in the offseason with his ability to catch the ball. Highsmith said he only dropped four passes this summer.

“They say I have the best hands on the team,” he said. “I didn’t drop too many balls and they loved that. That gave me a little bit of an advantage in training camp. I learned the offense fast.”

After losing wide receivers Nicks, Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster in the offseason, the Tar Heels’ passing game was suspect.

With highly-recruited wide receivers Joshua Adams and Jheranie Boyd on the field, Highsmith feels the receiving corps is just fine.

“We are going to be good,” he said. “I think we are going to be the next big three, following in the footsteps of Nicks, Tate and Foster.”

The Tar Heels (3-0) are ranked 22^nd in the nation and off to their best start since 1997. They travel to Georgia Tech on Saturday.

“I expect to keep on doing the same thing I did on Saturday,” Highsmith said. “The competition now gets harder and harder.”

Adam Thompson can be reached at 252-635-5670 or at athompson@freedomenc.com.