The final weekend before the NCAA’s summer recruiting dead period produced a flurry of commitments across the state, with East Carolina, North Carolina and Appalachian State among the programs making significant additions to their 2027 recruiting classes.
The Pirates landed four North Carolina prospects, including one of the highest-rated commitments in program history. North Carolina secured its first four-star commitment of the cycle, while Appalachian State strengthened the Sun Belt’s top-ranked recruiting class.
Elsewhere, several of North Carolina’s top high school prospects announced commitments to out-of-state programs.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest recruiting developments from the weekend.
Biggest Commitment
WR Amare Patterson (Bluffton HS, SC) → UNC
North Carolina landed its first four-star commitment when Patterson, the top wide receiver in South Carolina and the No. 25 wideout nationally, surprised the pundits by picking the Tar Heels over South Carolina, Georgia, Georgia Tech and LSU.
Biggest In-State Weekend
East Carolina picked up four commitments, all from in-state defensive prospects – including one of the highest profile pledges in program history:
- EDGE Andrew Rogers (Grimsley HS) – 4-star prospect and a top-15 player in North Carolina
- LB Mason Hefner (Lake Norman HS)
- DL Chosen Hyman (East Forsyth HS)
- SAF Andre Grier (Ayden-Grifton HS)
The additions pushed ECU to six in-state commitments (most in the state thus far) and 13 total pledges.
ECU made a major move this weekend.
🔥 4 new commitments – all North Carolina prospects!
🔥 Andrew Rogers (Grimsley) headlines the group
🔥 13 total commits
🔥 6 total in-state
🔥 No. 77 class nationally (247)
Updated ECU 2027 Recruiting Tracker:https://t.co/X08mTzQchC pic.twitter.com/2zjk97ihEw — NC Football News (@NCFootballNews) June 22, 2026
Biggest Class in the State
Wake Forest quietly added another stock of commitments over the weekend, pushing its 2027 class to 27 players and No. 38 nationally in the 247Sports rankings. The latest additions come from far and wide:
- TE Carter Myers (Ohio)
- OT RJ Clem (Indiana)
- OT Brendan Meaney (Iowa)
- DL Josiah Ampofo (Washington, D.C.)
- EDGE Esa Wittingburg (New Jersey)
- DL McCoy Richardson (Massachusetts)
Wake Forest now has commits from 14 different states and DC in addition to four pledges from North Carolina.
Sun Belt Momentum
Appalachian State bolstered the top-ranked 2027 recruiting class in the Sun Belt Conference with the addition to two defensive linemen, one of who had been committed to James Madison earlier in the month:
- EDGE Kemontae Chaplin (Friendship Collegiate, DC) – 3-star prospect
- EDGE Damion King (Westerville North HS, OH) – flipped from James Madison
Charlotte Continues Building
The 49ers earned a pair of commitments who each had notable Power 4 offers:
- IOL Brayden Washington (Collierville HS, TN) – reported offers from Oregon, Memphis and UCF
- WR Kadin Vassel (Northwestern HS, SC) – held offers from Georgia Tech, ECU and Marshall
Charlotte’s class now stands at 11 total commitments.
Out-of-State Programs Strike, Including the National Champs
Four more 2027s came off the board in the North Carolina high school ranks. Reigning national champion Indiana nabbed two commitments, including one inside the top 20:
- LB Jalaythan Mayfield (Lincolnton HS) → Indiana
- CB Ramir Harris-Dupree (Grimsley HS) → Indiana
- WR Majay Thompson (Crest HS) → Florida State
- RB Kamari Holloway (Southern Durham HS) → Temple
See below for more details on each committed player.
Commitment Capsules
Amare Patterson, WR, Ridgeland, SC (Bluffton HS)
- Committed to UNC on June 20, 2026
- 6-0, 189-pound wide receiver
- Four stars, the No. 5 player in South Carolina and the No. 25 wide receiver nationally from 247Sports. He’s listed as the No. 173 overall prospect in the Class of 2027 and the top wideout in his home state. He’s the highest ranked commit for UNC in its 2027 class thus far (the only 4 star)
- Junior season stats (2025) – 51 catches, 912 yards, 10 touchdowns, 1,260 all-purpose yards; Also picked off three passes on defense.
- Reported 37 total Division I offers, with Georgia, South Carolina and Georgia Tech in his top four … LSU and Florida also made a strong push…
- 247Sports evaluation: “YAC monster with a powerful build that gets into the end zone … Can certainly challenge defenses vertically with his track speed, but makes his money in the quick perimeter game as he weaves through traffic and finds daylight.”
- Former Bluffton High teammate Carnell Warren is already on the UNC roster, joining the team last season after an All-American senior year of high school ball.
- “It felt like I was already on the team,” Patterson told 247Sports after the commitment. “It was a brotherhood … I think they’re building something great and special at UNC with coach Bill Belichick. Hearing all that from the players and staff was awesome. I love the color Carolina blue too.”
- Second SC wide receiver to commit, joining Anthony Williams from Mount Pleasant, SC
UNC just landed a commitment from 4-star WR Amare “AP” Patterson 🐐 @AmarePatterson
Patterson attends Bluffton High School in South Carolina. He’s the No. 146 overall prospect in the SC Next 300 and the top-ranked WR in South Carolina. Big get for the Heels.… pic.twitter.com/Mj0Hchir3j — Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) June 20, 2026
Mason Hefner, LB, Mooresville, NC (Lake Norman HS)
- Committed to East Carolina on June 21
- 6-0, 205-pound linebacker
- 3.55 GPA
- Reported 13 offers, including from Charlotte, Temple and Army from the American Conference; FCS offers included Gardner-Webb, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina A&T
- Camped at ECU in May and took an official visit the weekend of June 18.
- 2025 stats: not posted
- 2024 stats: 75 tackles, 5.0 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, per MaxPreps.
- Speedy prospect has been laser clocked at faster than 21 mph (2025)
Chosen Hyman, DL, Kernersville, NC (East Forsyth HS)
- Committed to East Carolina on June 21
- 6-1, 255-pound defensive lineman
- ECU offered last November and stayed involved, per 247Sports
- 2025 stats: 56 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, four sacks for a 7-5 East Forsyth team
Andre Grier, SAF, Ayden, NC (Ayden-Grifton HS)
- Committed to East Carolina on June 21
- 5-10, 175-pound safety
- Not ranked by 247Sports
- First offer came from ECU on June 15, visited the Pirates on June 18-20, and announced commitment the day after coming home
- Earned top Defensive Skill award at the Carolinas Coaches Combine in April
- Also has played baseball and basketball for Ayden-Grifton
Andrew Rogers, EDGE, Greensboro, NC (Grimsley HS)
- Committed to East Carolina on June 20
- 6-6, 240 pound edge rusher
- Three stars, the No. 14 player in North Carolina, the No. 39 edge rusher nationally according to 247 Sports.
- Four stars and the No. 12 player in North Carolina using the 247Sports Composite, a consensus score drawn from multiple recruiting networks.
- Reported 22 offers. Took visits to ECU (June 18) and UNC (May 29) before deciding on the Pirates.
- Originally reclassified to the Class of 2026 but reclassified back to 2027.
- Transferred to Grimsley from Dudley High in 2025.
- Sophomore stat line from his 2024 season at Dudley: 23 sacks, 34 tackles-for-loss, 76 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery.
- Junior season stats (2025): 50 tackles, 13 TFLs, 8 sacks.
Jalaythan Mayfield, LB, Lincolnton, NC (Lincolnton HS)
- Committed to Indiana on June 19
- 6-1, 230 pound linebacker
- Three stars, the No. 16 player in North Carolina and the No. 39 linebacker nationally, according to 247Sports; A four-star prospect using the 247Sports Composite and the No. 8 player in North Carolina
- Reported 27 offers, including from many of college football’s heavyweights like Miami (May 29 visit), Alabama and Georgia (June 5 visit). He listed Miami, Georgia, Oregon and Kentucky in his top five with Indiana.
- Monster junior season stats (2025): 152 tackles, 26 tackles-for-loss, six sacks, six forced fumbles, one blocked punt, one blocked kick, per 247Sports. Also rushed for 343 yards, 13 TDs on offense.
- Sophomore season stats (2024): 109 tackles, 18 TFLs, 10 sacks, two defensive TDs
- 247Sports: “Physical off-ball linebacker who thrives in the box”
Ramir Harris-Dupree, CB, Greensboro, NC (Grimsley HS)
- Committed to Indiana on June 20
- 6-0, 160-pound cornerback
- Three stars, the No. 33 player in North Carolina and the No. 98 cornerback nationally from 247Sports
- Reported 22 Division I offers, taking visits to Indiana, Rutgers and Missouri this summer cycle. In-state offers came from Charlotte, East Carolina, Campbell, Elon, Gardner-Webb and North Carolina A&T.
- Junior season stats (2025): 54 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, two interceptions for 7A state champions
- Sophomore season stats (2024): 69 tackles, 2 TFLs for 4A state champions.
Majay Thompson, WR, Shelby, NC (Crest HS)
- Committed to Florida State on June 19
- 5-11, 181-pound wide receiver
- Three stars, the No. 17 player in North Carolina and the No. 39 wide receiver nationally, per 247Sports
- Reported nearly 30 Division I offers, taking visits to Georgia (May 15), Wake Forest (May 29), Alabama (June 5) and Florida State (June 12), per 247Sports. Wake Forest reportedly offered an “enticing NIL package,” per 247Sports. Georgia and Alabama appeared to be the front-runners at various points until Florida State made a late push.
- Junior season stats (2025): Caught 53 passes for 865 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 16.3 yards-per-catch for a state championship lineup.
Kamari Holloway, RB, Durham, NC (Southern Durham)
- Committed to Temple on June 16, 2026
- 5-10, 195-pound running back
- Three stars, the No. 31 player in North Carolina and the No. 72 running back nationally, according to 247Sports
- Reported 11 offers and took visits to both Temple and East Carolina.
- Junior season stats (2025): 122 carries, 1,420 yards, 14 touchdowns – his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. Also recorded 36 tackles, five tackles-for-loss and a 68-yard pick-six on defense.
- Sophomore season stats (2024): 86 carries, 1,081 yards, eight TDs.
- Strong contributor on Southern Durham’s track team in the 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump.
Kemontae Chaplin, EDGE, Washington, DC (Friendship Collegiate)
- Committed to Appalachian State on June 20, 2026
- 6-3, 215 pound edge rusher
- Three stars, the No. 3 player from DC and the No. 81 edge rusher nationally according to 247Sports
- Held offers from nearly 20 Division I programs, including Maryland, Syracuse, UConn, Temple and Liberty among FBS. North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central both offered among FCS schools.
- App State was one of his most recent offers, coming in mid-June 2026.
Damion King, EDGE, Westerville, OH (Westerville North HS)
- Flipped from a June 15 commitment to James Madison and committed to App State on June 20, 2026
- 6-3, 230-pound edge rusher/defensive lineman
- Reported 14 offers, taking visits to UConn (June 8), James Madison (June 12) and App State (June 20).
- Junior season stats (2025): 73 tackles, 18.5 tackles-for-loss, 11.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles
Brayden Washington, IOL, Collierville, TN (Collierville HS)
- Committed to Charlotte on June 20
- 6-5, 300 interior offensive lineman
- Reported 15 total offers, including offers from Oregon, UCF, Memphis before choosing 49ers. Other FBS offers included Arkansas State, Southern Miss, Liberty, Miami (OH), Middle Tennessee, Toledo, Western Kentucky.
Kadin Vassel, WR, Rock Hill, SC (Northwestern HS)
- Committed to Charlotte on June 20, 2026
- 5-11, 160-pound wide receiver
- Reported 11 offers, including Georgia Tech, East Carolina, Marshall, James Madison, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Tulsa from FBS. North Carolina Central (FCS) offered from North Carolina.
- Junior season stats (2025): 13 catches, 244 yards, 3 TDs over seven games
- Sophomore season stats (2024): 12 catches, 266 yards, 5 TDs over 12 games; Also played defense, recording 13 tackles and an interception.
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