When UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham made the decision to fire former head football coach Mack Brown in November 2024, several recruits followed suit.
The most notable recruit to de-commit was in-state edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes, a 4-star from nearby Rolesville. Since de-committing from North Carolina, Griffin-Haynes has already visited the likes of Georgia and Florida, while also receiving offers from over 40 schools.
Since the Tar Heels hired Bill Belichick to be their head coach, recruits are starting to take notice. That includes Griffin-Haynes, who will be visiting Chapel Hill on Wednesday, March 5.
According to his 247Sports recruiting profile, Griffin-Haynes is the Class of 2026’s 15th-ranked player in North Carolina – and 24th-ranked edge rusher in the entire country. UNC already has seven verbal commits in its 2026 recruiting class, but Griffin-Haynes would be the first 4-star.
Griffin-Haynes already has a taste of what playing in Kenan Stadium will be like, as he and his Rolesville High School teammates played there in the 4A State Championship, during December.
The Tar Heels’ Class of 2026 commits include athlete Jaden Jefferson, cornerbacks Marcellous Ryan and Justin Lewis, offensive linemen Zion Smith and Anthony Hall, quarterback Zaid Lott and running back Crew Davis.
Belichick’s influence is already apparent with North Carolina’s 2025 recruiting class, highlighted by getting 4-star quarterback Bryce Baker to re-affirm his commitment and, later, sign his National Letter of Intent. Belichick also fared well in the transfer portal, highlighted by nabbing second-ranked cornerback Thaddeus Dixon.
What will UNC do to land a commitment from Chapel Hill? The Tar Heels have to fight the likes of SEC programs, but Griffin-Haynes was previously committed to the Tar Heels, so that’s a good early…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/former-unc-football-class-2026-120716516.html
Author : Tar Heels Wire
Publish date : 2025-03-05 12:07:00
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