Ten prospects committed to North Carolina’s seven FBS football programs over the weekend, with Duke and Charlotte leading the way as the 2027 recruiting cycle continued to gain momentum.
Duke added two commitments, including state champion offensive tackle Gavin Milton from Grimsley High in Greensboro, while Charlotte picked up three pledges. Appalachian State added two commitments and NC State, North Carolina and Wake Forest each landed one.
Milton primarily played left tackle for Grimsley in 2025, helping the Whirlies win 15 games without a loss and claim the first-ever NCHSAA 7A state title.
Biggest Takeaways from June 5-7 Weekend
- Duke reached 15 commitments and remains the state’s highest-ranked class.
- Charlotte added three commitments to a quickly growing class.
- Appalachian State landed productive skill-position talent from Arkansas and South Carolina.
- Wake Forest continues building its offensive line, adding two Wisconsin prospects in four days.
- NC State and UNC each landed highly recruited Georgia prospects.
247Sports National Ranking | 2027 Football
As of June 7, Duke owns the state’s highest-ranked 2027 class. The Blue Devils and NC State are top 40 nationally.
- Duke: 28th (15 commits)
- NC State: 36th (12 commits)
- Wake Forest: 43rd (12 commits)
- UNC: 69th (7 commits)
- App State: 71st (7 commits)
- East Carolina: 101st (1 commit)
- Charlotte: 130th (7 commits)
The Blue Devils have the highest-ranked class and the deepest so far, including three prospects from North Carolina, as coach Manny Diaz continues to build on Duke’s breakthrough 2025 ACC championship season.
Five Recruiting Trends Emerging Across North Carolina’s FBS Programs
The first wave of summer official visits is producing more than commitments. It’s also beginning to reveal how North Carolina’s FBS programs are building their 2027 recruiting classes. Here are our observations:
Duke building a national class through the trenches
No program in our state has generated more momentum over the past 10 days than Duke.
The Blue Devils have added commitments from Pennsylvania, Tennessee, California, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina since May 29, pushing their class to 15 members and a No. 28 national ranking according to 247Sports.
Just as notable is where those commitments play. Duke has added offensive tackles Tyler Graham and Gavin Milton while also landing edge rusher Adriel Rojas. Combined with earlier pledges already in the class, the Blue Devils appear intent on building from the line of scrimmage outward as they try to sustain the momentum created by their 2025 ACC championship season.
Charlotte’s recruiting surge continues
Few programs have been busier than Charlotte.
After being without a pledge all spring, the 49ers have landed seven commitments since May 31, including prospects from North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida.
Quarterback Ryan Harrigan threw 31 touchdown passes against just one interception last season. Running back Calvin Wofford rushed for more than 1,300 yards. Linebacker Tyler Goebbel recorded 74 tackles and 17 tackles for loss.
The recent additions suggest Charlotte’s staff is prioritizing on-field production and evaluation as much as recruiting rankings while rapidly expanding the size of its 2027 class.
RB Calvin Wofford out of Sumter, SC has became the 6th commit of the 2027 recruiting class!
In 2025, he compiled 1357 rushing yards off of 158 carries (8.6 YPC) for 13 TDs.
Welcome to Charlotte!⛏️ https://t.co/QB23NkZwgf — CLT Gridiron (@CLT_Gridiron) June 7, 2026
UNC, Bill Belichick loading up on offensive linemen
North Carolina’s recent recruiting activity points to a clear priority.
The Tar Heels have landed interior offensive linemen Lauifi Tosi and Shavezz Dixon within the past week, giving the program two massive blockers who both check in at more than 320 pounds.
Dixon recorded 72 pancake blocks as a junior. Together, the pair gives North Carolina a strong early foundation along the offensive front.
Wake Forest finding help up front — and from Wisconsin
Wake Forest’s recruiting board has developed an unexpected theme.
The Demon Deacons landed offensive linemen Brady Moranski and Peyton Schuster from Wisconsin within four days of each other, giving Wake Forest four offensive line commitments in the 2027 class.
The additions strengthen a position group that has clearly become a priority this cycle while also establishing an intriguing recruiting connection more than 800 miles from Winston-Salem.
Appalachian State betting on production
Appalachian State’s latest commitments fit a familiar mold.
Safety Jamar Grissett intercepted seven passes and blocked three field goals as a junior. Running back JoJo Accelus rushed for 2,371 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Neither prospect arrived with extensive national recruiting rankings, but both produced eye-popping numbers at the high school level. The Mountaineers have long built successful rosters around proven production, and their latest additions suggest that approach remains unchanged.
Check out my Junior Full Szn highlights‼️
7 INT’s, 3FF, 7 PBU’s, 76 TCKLS, 3 BLOCKED FGS‼️ @Demyond1 @Coach_Dwill2124 @Dash25_ @1luv5 @LouatTheState @CoachWatson9 @CoachJDon @CoachCParrott @btroher14 @CoachClay_CLT @TrentKnapp @CoachMcRae21 @PrepRedzoneSC https://t.co/7445FxkXOp — Jamar Grissett (@JamarGriss4) December 23, 2025
Statewide recruiting roundup: Who joined the fold?
Duke adds state champion tackle, Georgia edge rusher
Milton, a 6-6, 285-pound offensive tackle from Grimsley, became the latest addition to Duke’s growing class. The three-star prospect is ranked No. 27 in North Carolina and No. 61 nationally at his position by 247Sports.
Milton helped Grimsley finish 15-0 and capture the NCHSAA 7A state championship in 2025. The Whirlies produced more than 5,600 yards of total offense last season while winning their second consecutive state title.
Duke beat out a lengthy offer list that included Georgia Tech, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina schools such as UNC, NC State, Appalachian State, East Carolina and Charlotte.
The Blue Devils also landed three-star edge rusher Adriel Rojas of North Forsyth High School in Georgia. The 6-4, 220-pound defender is ranked among the top 75 prospects in Georgia by 247Sports and recorded 67 tackles, six tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries as a junior.
Rojas becomes the second edge defender in Duke’s 2027 class, joining Reagan High School standout King Kalama, who committed back in December.
Charlotte lands three commitments
Charlotte increased its class total to seven with a solid haul after a busy visit weekend.
The group includes South Carolina running back Calvin Wofford, Tennessee linebacker-edge prospect Julius Malden and Florida defensive lineman Ja’caryous “Chunky” Holzendorf.
Wofford rushed for 1,357 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior at Crestwood High School in Sumter, South Carolina. Malden posted 42 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 2025, while Holzendorf recorded 32 tackles and 10 tackles for loss despite an injury-shortened season.
Appalachian State adds playmakers
Appalachian State’s class climbed to seven commitments with the additions of safety Jamar Grissett of Irmo High School in South Carolina and Arkansas running back JoJo Accelus of Monticello High.
Grissett produced seven interceptions, two forced fumbles and 66 tackles as a junior while also blocking three field goals. Accelus rushed for 2,371 yards and 24 touchdowns during an all-state season at Monticello High School.
NC State lands highly recruited Georgia safety
NC State secured a commitment from three-star safety Alex Scott of Toombs County High School in Georgia.
Scott, who held more than two dozen scholarship offers, is ranked among the top 60 prospects in Georgia by 247Sports. He recorded 90 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and five pass breakups as a junior and has amassed 269 tackles during his prep career.
The commitment gives NC State 12 pledges in its 2027 class, currently ranked No. 36 nationally.
North Carolina continues to build offensive line
North Carolina strengthened its offensive front with the addition of interior offensive lineman Shavezz Dixon from Lee County High School in Georgia.
The 6-4, 325-pound lineman became UNC’s seventh commitment and second interior offensive line pledge of the month.
Dixon cited coach Bill Belichick and offensive line coach Will Friend as major factors in his decision. According to 247Sports, he recorded 72 pancake blocks during his junior season.
Wake Forest adds another Wisconsin lineman
Wake Forest continued building a recruiting pipeline into Wisconsin, adding offensive tackle Peyton Schuster four days after landing fellow Wisconsin offensive lineman Brady Moranski earlier in the week.
Schuster, a three-star prospect, previously had been committed to Wyoming before reopening his recruitment. Moranski and Schuster give Wake Forest four offensive line commitments in the 2027 class, which currently ranks No. 43 nationally according to 247Sports.
Follow North Carolina football recruiting
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- North Carolina high school commitments: See where in-state high school players have committed.
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