Bill Belichick and North Carolina just flipped one of the best defensive tackles in the state to add to its growing 2026 recruiting class. Trashawn Ruffin, listed as a 247Sports Composite four-star prospect, announced Monday that he is pledging for the Tar Heels.
Ruffin (Mount Olive | North Duplin HS) had been verbally committed to Texas A&M since the fall.
The flip comes after Ruffin attended the recent Duke at North Carolina basketball game in Chapel Hill, where he reportedly met with UNC defensive greats Julius Peppers and Lawrence Taylor.
“Recruitment is shut down,” Ruffin posted on X early Tuesday, March 18.
Ruffin finished his junior season with 34 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery, per MaxPreps stats. North Duplin posted a 10-1 record in the 1A ranks in 2024.
North Carolina now has nine commitments in its 2026 class, with Ruffin being the highest ranked. The 6-foot-3, 307-pound standout is listed as the No. 12 overall prospect in North Carolina by 247Sports and inside the top 300 nationally by multiple national outlets.
247Sports ranks UNC’s class 22nd nationally at this point. The addition of Ruffin gives Belichick his second pledge from North Carolina. Quarterback Zaid Lott from Charlotte’s Providence Day has been committed to UNC since last June.
Ruffin has fielded dozens of offers already from Power 4 programs. He has official visits lined up, per 247Sports, to LSU (May 30), North Carolina (June 6), Texas A&M (June 13) and South Carolina (June 20).
🚨 C/O ‘26 4🌟 DT Trashawn Ruffin has committed to North Carolina, according to his Instagram. Ruffin was previously committed to Texas A&M. #GoHeels #UNC pic.twitter.com/SzioHZzujN — Chris Smith (@chrismithunc) March 17, 2025
Four-star WR Gordon Sellars locks in commitment date
Providence Day junior wideout Gordon Sellars is down to six schools in his recruiting, including a long shot FCS school from North Carolina. Sellars, listed as a four-star prospect from 247Sports Composite, has set April 18 as his commitment announcement day.
Sellars (6-2 | 180) told On3 that he’s down to Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina, Michigan and North Carolina A&T in his final six. Sellars caught 50 passes for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns for Providence Day in 2024, helping the Chargers to a state NCISAA runner-up finish.
Sellars has visits lined up at Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia and Michigan later this spring/summer.
NEWS: Four-Star WR Gordon Sellars is down to 6️⃣ Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’3 195 WR from Charlotte, NC will announce his Commitment on April 18th
Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/s7DxO5AePT pic.twitter.com/xH5Nh6AWXT — Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 18, 2025
