Three of North Carolina’s top 50 prospects in the Class of 2026 announced their commitments this week, headlining another busy stretch on the recruiting trail. West Charlotte’s KD Cotton (Duke), East Forsyth’s Jaire Richburg (NC State), and Hough’s Tyran Evans (Miami) made their decisions public in the past 48 hours, joining a growing list of high-profile summer pledges.
Here’s a breakdown of recent recruiting activity across the state.
🔵 KD Cotton | DB/ATH | West Charlotte → Duke
Duke scored a major win on June 26, landing a commitment from West Charlotte standout KD Cotton, one of the most dynamic two-way players in the state. The 5-9, 185-pounder is ranked the No. 48 player in North Carolina by 247Sports and the No. 109 athlete nationally.
Cotton chose Duke over NC State, Wake Forest, ECU, Kentucky and Miami, among others. He visited the Blue Devils in late May and took an official visit to NC State on June 13.
A defensive force and offensive weapon for the 3A state champion Lions, Cotton racked up 77 tackles, 5 INTs (2 returned for TDs) and 6 pass breakups last fall. On offense, he tallied 247 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 30 catches for 449 yards and another 10 scores. He was a first-team all-state pick by HighSchoolOT.
🔴 Jaire Richburg | WR | East Forsyth → NC State
East Forsyth’s Jaire Richburg gave his verbal to NC State during a weekend official visit and made the news public June 26. The 6-3, 190-pound wideout chose the Wolfpack over Virginia Tech and held 18 offers in total.
Richburg emerged as a top target after a breakout sophomore season and followed it up with 60 catches for 990 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior in 2024. He helped lead East Forsyth to an unbeaten regular season and deep playoff run, earning all-state honors from HighSchoolOT in the process. He also carries a 4.0 GPA.
He’s the second in-state receiver to join the Pack’s 2026 class this week, alongside Kinston’s Tyreek Copper. NC State’s class now stands at 12 total commits, including three from North Carolina. (Reagan quarterback Jacob Smith is the other).
🟠 Tyran Evans | WR | Hough → Miami
Tyran Evans, a former Tennessee commit, flipped to Miami on June 25 following a recent visit to Coral Gables. The 6-3, 180-pound playmaker is ranked the No. 31 player in North Carolina and the No. 114 WR nationally.
Evans averaged a ridiculous 27.2 yards per catch last season at Hough, finishing with 36 receptions for 980 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had an 89-yard score and earned all-state honors from HighSchoolOT. His previous commitment to Tennessee lasted from January to mid-June.
He visited NC State (June 6), Kentucky (May 30), and Miami (June 13) before announcing his final decision.
@CanesFootball@coach_cristobal@Kevin_Beard9@CoachDondo@KwincyHall0@AREALGENTLEMEN pic.twitter.com/bZlLCaSOqS — Ty🌟 (@TyranEvans6) June 25, 2025
🏈 Other Notable Commitments
🟤 Malachi Harris | Rolesville (via East Wake) → Old Dominion
A two-sport standout with a 3.9 GPA, Harris committed to Old Dominion on June 26 after receiving an offer following his official visit the weekend of June 18. Last season at East Wake, the 6-3, 250-pounder posted 34 catches for 452 yards and 5 TDs as a tight end, while also notching 9 sacks and 16 tackles for loss on defense.
National analyst Tom Lemming described him as “a playmaker on both sides of the ball with exceptional athletic ability.”
I’m very grateful to announce my commitment to Old Dominion University @ODUFootball!
Thank you to my family and coaches for supporting me, seeing my abilities, dedication and my passion for this game. #ReignOn #BeTheReason @RickyRahne @CoachVic_ @RRACKLEY9 pic.twitter.com/mRmhqj9qkz— Malachi Harris (@TheeMalachi2026) June 26, 2025
⚫️ Chris Hilliard | DL | Hough → Temple
Temple landed a key interior piece in Chris Hilliard, who committed following a recent visit. The 6-2, 280-pound lineman had five sacks and 23 tackles last fall and chose the Owls over offers from Old Dominion, NC Central, NC A&T, Gardner-Webb and others.
Hough Huskies Defensive Lineman Chris Hilliard shares why he committed to Temple University pic.twitter.com/UBKqdRNKzO — Matt Morrow (@pepman704) June 26, 2025
🔴 Will Berlin | DE/OLB | Hough → Cornell
Berlin, a 6-2, 225-pound edge rusher with a 4.5 GPA, committed to Cornell on June 25. He recorded 6 TFLs and a sack for a loaded Hough defense last season. Ivy League interest was strong, with offers from Wofford and Davidson as well.
Excited to announce my commitment to Cornell University@DanSwanstrom @SC_DBGROUP @DeShawnBaker6 @JaredBackus1 @CoachEFranklin #committed pic.twitter.com/OQ54oCf2PY — Will Berlin (@WillBerlin_2026) June 25, 2025
🟡 Tyler Owens | DB | Mt. Zion Prep (MD) → Elon
Elon added a versatile DB in Tyler Owens, who committed June 26 after an official visit. The 5-10, 185-pounder played at St. Archangel in Virginia last season and had reported offers from Hampton, Maine and Monmouth.
Elon landed multiple commits following a week of camp activities and official visits. Read which other players pledged for the Phoenix HERE.
#AGTG I’m home ! 🏠@ElonFootball @TonyTrisciani @CoachDBattle @CoachMAustin @AkeemDent @mzpafootball @CoachStaySharp @NCFootballNews pic.twitter.com/lvXAbehWDZ — Tyler Owens (@Tyler_owens1) June 26, 2025
🔺 Landry Brede | OL | Mentor (OH) → NC State
Brede, a 6-6, 290-pound lineman from Ohio powerhouse Mentor HS, committed to the Wolfpack on June 25. A 3-star prospect with more than 30 Division I offers, he picked NC State over Pitt and UNC. Other suitors included Florida, Michigan State, Virginia, Wake Forest and Cincinnati. He is ranked the No. 76 player in Ohio by On3.
247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu praised the pickup: “Mentor cranks out prospects… they’ve had a lot of guys go on and play at the next level and a good handful in the pros. So all-around, it’s a really good pickup.”
🟦 Obinna Umeh | EDGE | St. Thomas (TX) → Duke
Three-star edge rusher Obinna Umeh committed to Duke on June 26, becoming the latest addition to Manny Diaz’s 2026 class. Umeh, ranked the No. 76 player in Texas by 247Sports, held close to two dozen Division I offers. He visited Stanford just days before his decision and also drew interest from programs across the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Group of Five, and even the Ivy League. The 6-4 pass rusher plays at St. Thomas High School in Houston.
🟨 Elliot Demaine | OL | St. Thomas More (CT) → Wake Forest
Wake Forest picked up a pledge from three-star offensive lineman Elliot Demaine on June 25. The 6-5, 280-pounder is ranked the No. 9 player in Connecticut by 247Sports and made official visits to Temple and Liberty before committing to the Demon Deacons. Demaine is a product of St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Connecticut, and brings both size and technique to the 2026 class.
📌 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
