Tennessee got another one. So did Notre Dame. And Texas picked up its first. On a monumental night for North Carolina high school football recruiting, three of our state’s top 2026 prospects made their college commitments official — and each chose a national powerhouse:
- Offensive lineman J.B. Shabazz (Kernersville | East Forsyth) → Tennessee
- Safety Nick Reddish (Charlotte | Independence HS) → Notre Dame
- Cornerback Samari Matthews (Cornelius | Hough HS) → Texas
The Friday night commitment ceremonies continue a recent trend of elite North Carolina prep players choosing high-profile out-of-state colleges.
Tennessee now has two of North Carolina’s top 25 rising seniors, per 247Sports, including the No. 1 player in Grimsley quarterback Faizon Brandon. The Vols snatched North Carolina’s top two players and the No. 11 prospect for its 2025 class.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, now has four of the top 27 players from NC’s class of 2026 — including three of the top 15. Now Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns are joining the parade.
🚜 JB Shabazz: Tennessee Adds Another NC Star
East Forsyth offensive tackle JB Shabazz picked Tennessee over finalists South Carolina and Ohio State.
The 6-7, 315-pound lineman is ranked the No. 6 offensive tackle nationally by Rivals, which gives him 4-star status. 247Sports is a bit more reserved, calling him a 3-star but still ranking him No. 25 in North Carolina and No. 46 nationally among offensive tackles. Evaluators agree on his massive upside and elite measurables.
Shabazz visited Knoxville officially on June 13 and picked up his Tennessee offer in February. He also visited NC State and Penn State recently and reported 21 total offers.
He now joins a rapidly growing pipeline of NC stars to the Vols, including 2025 No. 1 overall NC prospect David Sanders (Providence Day), 2025 No. 2 prospect Isaiah Campbell (Southern Durham) and 2025 No. 11 prospect Charles House (North Meck).
“Hulking offensive line prospect with Grade A features on a frame that’s pushing 6-foot-6 … Projects as a swing tackle at the Power Four level with a promising profile given the length and hoops background.” – Andrew Ivins, 247Sports, wrote of Shabazz.
🧠 Nick Reddish: Back on the Field, Back in the Spotlight
Independence High School safety Nick Reddish is betting on his football IQ and toughness—and now he’s found a home in South Bend, IN. The 5-11, 185-pound safety also had Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and Indiana in his top four.
Notre Dame is CRUSHING it in North Carolina for the 2026 cycle 🔥☘️
• 5-star EDGE Rodney Dunham
• 4-star EDGE Ebenezer Ewetade
• 4-star LB Thomas Davis Jr.
• 3-star DB Nick Reddish
Tar Heel State ➡️ South Bend, Ind. pic.twitter.com/U0b0qqtdkB— Mike Singer (@MikeTSinger) July 11, 2025
Reddish is ranked the No. 27 player in North Carolina in the 2026 class, despite a junior season cut short by injury. That absence, however, hasn’t dimmed the attention: he still reported 21 offers, including from all seven in-state FBS programs and several national brands. He visited UNC in May but left the Tar Heels out of his final four, per 247Sports.
As a sophomore in 2023, Reddish was a standout for Independence:
95 tackles, 10 pass breakups, 4 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles—earning all-conference honors.
Recruiting analysts see him as a high-IQ defender who plays bigger than his size.
“Instinctive split safety that has showcased the ability to generate takeaways… Must regain confidence, but has a chance to be a multi-year contributor at the Power Four level with his football IQ.” — Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
Reddish’s commitment continues a family legacy at the position: his older brother Quentin Reddish was a standout at Independence and played in 12 games for Virginia Tech last fall, starting one.
With a strong senior campaign, Nick Reddish could be one of the most complete safeties in the state—and a name to watch at the next level.
🔒 Samari Matthews: “Smoke” Heads To The Forty Acres
One of the most coveted defenders in the country, Samari Matthews is a 6-1, 190-pound cornerback from Hough High School in Cornelius. He is ranked No. 5 in North Carolina by 247Sports and the No. 119 overall prospect nationally.
Matthews also had South Carolina, Florida State and Miami in his final four, after racking up 45 total offers. He became a national name early—Appalachian State and ECU offered before he even played a high school down, and he added Power Five attention following a strong freshman year that included 33 tackles and one interception.
“Everything’s bigger in Texas #hookem,” Matthews posted on social media shortly after his commitment.
In 2024, Matthews saw fewer throws his direction—and made just 19 total tackles (17 solo)—but still had huge impacts on games. He finished with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Across 33 varsity games, he has 77 career tackles and has been a key contributor for a Hough program that consistently ranks among the state’s best.
Nicknamed “Smoke” (initially for his speed on the track), Matthews has parlayed that explosiveness into a lockdown presence in the secondary—and a growing personal brand. His website, samarismokematthews.com, offers merchandise and a glimpse into his personality, which includes a love for his family, dancing and making TikTok videos.
“Matthews qualifies as one of the top-tier cornerbacks in the class … Very technically sound and can read, drive, and finish. The type of cornerback that can matchup against bigger wide outs and hold his own. Doesn’t get much action his way to show off ball skills and athleticism when the football is in the air.” — 247Sports analyst Clint Brewster
Matthews is the sixth Hough player from the 2026 class to announce his commitment, joining teammates committed to Miami (Tyran Evans), Temple (Chris Hilliard), South Florida (Micah Bright), Appalachian State (Jarvis Potts) and Cornell (Will Berlin).
Matthews and the Huskies will open the new season on a big stage: Aug. 22 at Bank of America Stadium, where Hough plays South Pointe (SC) in the Keep Pounding High School Classic hosted by the Carolina Panthers.
I've seen a lot of college commitment announcements. But I've never seen one where the gym was emptied because of a smoke alarm.
Fitting, since @samari_matthews nickname? It's smoke. 🤣
The @HoughFB ⭐️ tells us why he's heading to #Texas @HoughAthletics @DeShawnBaker6 pic.twitter.com/t1FSgiuWoy — Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) July 12, 2025
📌 More 2026 Recruiting Coverage:
- 🔁 NC High School Commitment Tracker – Where top NC prospects are committing (in-state & out-of-state)
- 🎯 NC College Commitment Tracker – Who’s heading to North Carolina college programs (from NC and beyond)
- 📊 NC Class of 2026 Player Rankings – Our composite rankings based on 247Sports, Rivals, On3 & ESPN
