The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from North Carolina using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from North Carolina set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#19 (tie). Andrew Harris (Edge)
- National rank: #391 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #36
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, Appalachian State, Auburn, Boston College, Charlotte
- High school: Weddington (Matthews, NC)
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2 / 20#19 (tie). Zavion Griffin-Haynes (Edge)
- National rank: #391 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #36
- College: North Carolina
- Offers: North Carolina, Alabama, Appalachian State, Arkansas, Auburn
- High school: Rolesville (Rolesville, NC)
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3 / 20#18. Grant Lawless (QB)
- National rank: #387 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #28
- College: Wake Forest
- Offers: Wake Forest, Bryant, Elon, Gardner-Webb, Lenoir-Rhyne
- High school: East Lincoln (Denver, NC)
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4 / 20#17. Elijah Littlejohn (Edge)
- National rank: #379 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #34
- College: not committed
- Offers: Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Alabama, Auburn
- High school: West Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
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5 / 20#16. Trashawn Ruffin (DL)
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6 / 20#15. Camdin Portis (CB)
- National rank: #302 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #29
- College: Miami
- Offers: Miami, Akron, Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College
- High school: Myers Park (Charlotte, NC)
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7 / 20#14. Noah Clark (DL)
- National rank: #292 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #38
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, NC State, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Virginia
- High school: C.E. Jordan (Durham, NC)
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8 / 20#13. J.B. Shabazz (OT)
- National rank: #249 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #24
- College: North Carolina
- Offers: North Carolina, Ohio State, Tennessee, NC State, Penn State
- High school: East Forsyth (Kernersville, NC)
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9 / 20#12. Thomas Davis Jr. (LB)
- National rank: #215 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #9
- College: Notre Dame
- Offers: Notre Dame, Auburn, Boston College, Campbell, Charlotte
- High school: Weddington (Matthews, NC)
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11 / 20#10. Keshawn Stancil (DL)
- National rank: #179 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #23
- College: Miami
- Offers: Miami, NC State, Clemson, Penn State, Georgia
- High school: Clayton (Clayton, NC)
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12 / 20#9. Ebenezer Ewetade (Edge)
- National rank: #160 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #20
- College: Notre Dame
- Offers: Notre Dame, Alabama, Appalachian State, Auburn, Campbell
- High school: South Garner (Garner, NC)
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13 / 20#8. Leo Delaney (IOL)
- National rank: #113 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #6
- College: Clemson
- Offers: Clemson, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Charlotte
- High school: Providence Day School (Charlotte, NC)
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14 / 20#7. Samari Matthews (CB)
- National rank: #107 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #13
- College: Texas
- Offers: Texas, South Carolina, Florida State, Miami, Alabama
- High school: Hough (Cornelius, NC)
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15 / 20#6. Pierre Dean (DL)
- National rank: #97 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #12
- College: Georgia
- Offers: Georgia, Ohio State, South Carolina, Alabama, Appalachian State
- High school: West Forsyth (Clemmons, NC)
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16 / 20#5. Aiden Harris (DL)
- National rank: #77 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #8
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, Auburn, Boston College, Charlotte, Delaware State
- High school: Weddington (Matthews, NC)
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17 / 20#4. Ekene Ogboko (IOL)
- National rank: #34 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: Georgia
- Offers: Georgia, Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Appalachian State
- High school: South Garner (Durham, NC)
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18 / 20#3. Kendre Harrison (TE)
- National rank: #28 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #2
- College: Oregon
- Offers: Oregon, Akron, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn
- High school: Reidsville (Reidsville, NC)
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19 / 20#2. Rodney Dunham (Edge)
- National rank: #14 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #5
- College: Notre Dame
- Offers: Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina
- High school: Myers Park (Charlotte, NC)
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