2025-26 National Signing Day:
Which College Programs Landed
Highest-Rated NC Football Prospects?
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Dec. 3, 2025)
College football’s National Signing Day on Wednesday cemented the Class of 2026 version of a long-standing theme in North Carolina, as a large majority of the state’s top prospects selected out-of-state college programs.
South Carolina (four), Georgia (three), Miami (three) and Notre Dame (three) collectively landed half of the Bold North State’s highest-ranked high school seniors, meaning 13 of the top 26, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Among in-state programs, first-year UNC coach Bill Belichick and his staff signed the most members (three) of the 247Sports Composite Top 30.
NC State (two), Duke (one), East Carolina (one), North Carolina A&T (one) and Wake Forest (one) also secured one or more top-30 in-state prospect.
(North Carolina High School Seniors) 4—South Carolina
3—Georgia
3—Miami
3—North Carolina
3—Notre Dame
2—Clemson
2—NC State
1—Duke
1—East Carolina
1—Florida State
1—North Carolina A&T
1—Oregon
1—Stanford
1—Tennessee
1—Texas
1—Vanderbilt
1—Wake Forest
(Composite Class of 2026 Rankings^)
Rank/Player, High School — College Choice (Conference)
1. QB Faizon Brandon, Greensboro Grimsley — Tennessee (SEC)
2. EDGE Rodney Durham, Charlotte Myers Park — Notre Dame
3. TE Kendre Harrison, Reidsville High — Oregon (Big Ten)
4. OT Ekene Ogboko, South Garner — Georgia (SEC)
5. DE Aiden Harris, Matthews Weddington — South Carolina (SEC)
6. EDGE Pierre Dean, Clemmons West Forsyth — Georgia (SEC)
7. CB Samari Matthews, Cornelius Hough — Texas (SEC)
8. DL Keshawn Stancil, Clayton High — Miami (ACC)
9. EDGE Ebenezer Ewetade, South Garner — Notre Dame
10. WR Gordon Sellars, Charlotte Providence Day — Clemson (ACC)
11. OL Leo Delaney, Charlotte Providence Day — Clemson (ACC)
12. LB Thomas Davis Jr., Matthews Weddington — Notre Dame
13. CB Camden Portis, Charlotte Myers Park — Miami (ACC)
14. QB Grant Lawless, Denver East Lincoln — Wake Forest (ACC)
15. DT Noah Clark, Durham Jordan — South Carolina (SEC)
16. CB Kosci Barnes, Greensboro Grimsley — South Carolina (SEC)
17. OT JB Shabazz, Kernersville East Forsyth — North Carolina (ACC)
18. LB Elijah Littlejohn, West Charlotte — Georgia (SEC)
19. DT Trashawn Ruffin, Mount Olive North Duplin — North Carolina (ACC)
20. EDGE Andrew Harris, Matthews Weddington — South Carolina (SEC)
21. DE Damaad Lewis, Charlotte Myers Park — Florida State (ACC)
22. EDGE Zavion Griffin-Haynes, Rolesville High — North Carolina (ACC)
23. EDGE Jace McCallum, Mooresville High — Vanderbilt (SEC)
24. TE William Vaughn, Kings Mountain High — NC State (ACC)
25. EDGE Keysaun Eleazer, Southeast Raleigh — Stanford (ACC)
26. WR Tyran Evans, Cornelius Hough — Miami (ACC)
27. DT Ben Boulware, Winston-Salem Oak Grove — North Carolina A&T (CAA)
28. S Lyrik Pettis, Shelby Crest — Duke (ACC)
29. EDGE Terande Spencer, Rockingham Richmond — East Carolina (American)
30. WR Tyreek Copper, Kinston High — NC State (ACC)
^—player rankings from 247Sports Composite
