College football recruiting may have entered a “dead” period this week, but the buzz around college football commitments continues to run at fever pitch. Among the headlines for our Monday, June 23 edition of NC Recruiting Buzz:
- South Garner’s Ekene Ogboko, a national top-50 prospect, picked an SEC blue-blood
- Charlotte Christian running back Jamal Rule committed to the Big Ten
- Leesville Road’s Devin Goldston chose to state in-state and join the ACC
- North Brunswick’s Tyrell Simpson flipped his commitment from Rutgers to an out-of-state ACC school.
- App State, Charlotte and Wake Forest added to their already impressive 2026 hauls with out-of-state prospects
Wake Forest lands Leesville Road WR Devin Goldston
Leesville Road’s Devin Goldston will wear the gold and black of Wake Forest football starting in 2026. Goldston (6-3, 180) announced his pledge to the Demon Deacons and coach Jake Dickert on June 23.
An off-the-radar prospect, Goldston reported just two Division I offers — Wake Forest and Gardner-Webb. He took an official visit to Wake this past weekend and had participated in junior day back in the spring. The Deacs offered after seeing him at a camp in early June.
Goldston’s stock could rise with a big senior season, rewarding Wake’s early involvement. He earned Cap-6 all-conference honors in 2024 after making 48 catches for 582 yards and six touchdowns — nearly matching his 2023 output of 48 catches for 510 yards and three scores.
He also plays travel basketball for the Durham Hurricanes and scored 25 points in a game back in May.
Blue-chip OL Ekene Ogboko will follow his brother to Georgia
South Garner offensive line standout Ekene Ogboko, a top-50 national recruit, has committed to Georgia, he announced last week. Ogboko (6-6, 270) will follow his older brother, Nnamdi Ogboko, a second-year defensive lineman for the Bulldogs.
He ranks No. 40 nationally by 247Sports and No. 50 in the latest 2026 ESPN 300. He’s the No. 4 player in North Carolina in the NC Football News 2026 Composite Rankings.
“I wanted to find a place that can prepare me for the NFL,” Ogboko told ESPN. “Georgia is a program that sends guys at my position to the league … They made it clear that I can come in and compete to earn a spot early because they don’t know who the next tackle is going to be right now.”
Ogboko picked Georgia from a deep list of offers that included Clemson, Florida and Notre Dame.
Prolific RB Jamal Rule picks Matt Rhule, Nebraska
One of North Carolina’s top running backs is heading to the Big Ten in 2026. Charlotte Christian standout Jamal Rule (6-0, 205) committed to Nebraska — coached by former Panthers head coach Matt Rhule — over finalists Virginia Tech, Michigan State and Syracuse.
Rule, nicknamed “Rock,” is considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports and ranks No. 46 in North Carolina. He earned first-team all-state honors in 2024 and helped Charlotte Christian win a state title on its 4×800 relay team.
Rule began his prep career at Salisbury High, where he was named 2023 Rowan County Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 2,712 yards and 39 touchdowns. That included a 360-yard game vs. North Rowan and several other 200+ yard outings.
He reclassified to the 2026 class and transferred to Charlotte Christian last season, where he recorded more than 1,200 yards and 15 TDs for the NCISAA program.
Tyrell Simpson flips from Rutgers to Virginia Tech
Tyrell Simpson, a three-star offensive tackle from North Brunswick, made waves last month by becoming North Carolina’s third 2026 commit to Rutgers. But Simpson (6-8, 310) has since had a change of heart, flipping to Virginia Tech on June 23.
Virginia Tech was the school that first encouraged Simpson to focus on the offensive side of the ball during a 2024 summer camp. That advice sparked a breakout junior season and led to Power 4 offers from schools like Florida, Rutgers, Kentucky and more.
“It’s closer to home and I have a great relationship with the coaches,” Simpson told 247Sports about his decision to flip.
2026 Commits: Incoming to NC College Programs
Jermaine “Showtime” McCree | DB | Appalachian State commit
5-11, 165 | Mobile, AL | Williamson HS
McCree has played in 30 varsity games, recording 122 tackles and 11 interceptions — including four picks and 54 tackles last season.
A three-star prospect, he held 17 offers including elite-level FBS programs like Arkansas, Florida State and Texas A&M. App State and coach Dowell Loggains also beat out a host of in-state programs like South Alabama, Troy, North Alabama, Alabama A&M, Alabama State and Jacksonville State.
“Everyone on the coaching staff made me feel like App State is my home,” McCree told an Alabama recruiting site.
Mason McGill | OT/DE | Charlotte commit
6-4, 270 | Gainesville, GA | North Hall HS
Charlotte landed McGill after a strong official visit weekend. A two-way lineman, McGill is a two-time all-state selection and was named region lineman of the year.
His offer list included Navy, Tulsa and Georgia Southern, along with FCS programs like Mercer, Samford, Charleston Southern, Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, and West Georgia.
Braxton Rembert | Safety/LB | Wake Forest commit
6-5, 200 | Hoschton, GA | Mill Creek HS
Rembert, a three-star prospect, is a three-sport standout in football, basketball and track. He was named region basketball player of the year as a junior.
He boasts a 3.8 GPA and an 80-inch wingspan — physical traits that could translate to hybrid safety/linebacker success at the next level.
📌 More 2026 Recruiting Coverage:
📊 NC Class of 2026 Player Rankings – Our composite 2026 player rankings based on 247Sports, Rivals, On3 & ESPN
🔁 NC High School Commitment Tracker – Where top 2026 NC prospects are committing (in-state & out-of-state)
🎯 NC College Commitment Tracker – Find out everyone who’s heading to North Carolina college programs from the class of 2026
