Eight takeaways from prime North Carolina recruits in motion
NORTH CAROLINA — Highschool soccer season within the Southeast is underway.
Rivals Nationwide Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman was on the sidelines for a number of marquee video games that includes a number of of North Carolina’s prime recruits within the 2025, 2026 and 2027 courses. Included in that group are a number of blue-chippers, together with gamers dedicated to Tennessee, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Ohio State, Clemson, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, amongst others.
Listed below are eight takeaways from the stay in-person evaluations:
TENNESSEE-BOUND FIVE-STARS DAVID SANDERS, FAIZON BRANDON EXCEL
David Sanders Jr. continued his senior season at Charlotte (N.C.) Windfall Day with a showdown towards a rotation of Energy 4-bound defensive linemen. Sanders, a sculpted 6-foot-6 and 290 kilos, stood tall to the check after which some. He anticipates effectively in go professional and powerful sufficient to resist energy rushes and agile sufficient to dispel velocity rushers off the sting. Sanders is gentle on his ft and performs with improbable leverage. He thrived blocking out in house and clearing paths within the run sport in movement. The five-star OT noticed spot responsibility on protection from a two-point stance setting the sting within the run sport and likewise pressuring the quarterback. Sanders was among the finest in-person evals from a left deal with in current reminiscence.
Faizon Brandon opened his junior season at Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley. The five-star Tennessee QB commit was surgical orchestrating his offense up and down the sector (15-of-20 for 117 yards). Brandon was stellar changing pivotal downs-and-distances all through the night. He makes use of distinctive arm angles to slice up defenses. Brandon is persistently correct and sometimes composed, and he delivered a couple of passes downfield that might’ve been large positive aspects or touchdowns if not for drops. Brandon additionally leans on his 6-foot-4, 190-pound body to maneuver the sticks on brief down-and-distances each between the tackles and racing full steam forward to the sideline.
The longer term Vol has components of Trevor Lawrence to his sport — evidenced by distinctive arm angles and on-point ball placement. Brandon is constructed to deal with a workload behind middle and stepped up in key moments. He got here by means of on a number of massive third- and fourth-down conversations arising with massive throws, well timed runs, and sensible selections over the course of the competition. We favored what we noticed from Brandon main this offense in Week 1.
OHIO STATE BUZZING WITH 2026 DE TARGET AIDEN HARRIS
2026 Matthews (N.C.) Weddington Excessive four-star DE Aiden Harris is a stress cooker up entrance and proved as a lot towards a touted Windfall Day offensive line. Harrison, who lined up off the sting and likewise inside over the guard, has an explosive first step and generated constant stress whereas additionally beating double-teams. Harris accounted for 3 sacks and utilized much more warmth on the quarterback profitable with velocity, energy and protracted motor enjoying downhill with glorious hand utilization.
Ohio State holds a dedication from Harris’ teammate, four-star DE Trajen Odom, and is trending in the best course with Harris as effectively. Extra on that right here … The Buckeyes additionally prepared the ground with one other 2026 blue-chipper Zavion Griffin-Haynes from Rolesville (N.C.) Excessive. Larry Johnson is working feverishly to construct fairly the pipeline out of Carolina.
KENDRE HARRISON IS IN A CLASS OF HIS OWN
Kendre Harrison is simply greater than two weeks into getting acclimated into the Windfall Day offense. Seeing motion at tight finish and likewise snaps at defensive finish, Harrison is distinguishing himself into a category of his personal on the tight finish place within the 2026 recruiting cycle.
The 2-sport standout was dynamic profitable exterior the numbers in addition to attacking vertically down the seam. Harrison was capable of work in the midst of the sector and lengthen performs with yardage after the catch and presents authentic difference-making expertise within the passing sport. His dimension, catch radius, ball abilities, and knack for handing over explosive performs affirm Harrison because the No. 1 tight finish within the Rivals250. His physicality, distinctive make-up, and athletic profile are additional proof of his upside as an offensive playmaker. North Carolina is a workforce to observe with the multi-sport star.
NEW DUKE COMMIT BRYCE DAVIS OFFERS MASSIVE UPSIDE AT PREMIUM POSITION
4-star DE Bryce Davis flipped his dedication from Clemson to Duke after kicking off his senior season at Grimsley Excessive on Friday. Like Harrison, Davis is a two-sport standout with plus-athletic traits in a broad, filled-out 6-foot-5, 265-pound body. Davis is bouncy and fires off the ball, a twitchy mover and fluid shifting round in pursuit. The Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor offense ran a number of designed runs away from Davis and likewise countered his influence with double-teams on bootlegs. The Rivals250 DE brook free within the second half showcasing his very good short-area burst and is difficult to include when he positive aspects a full head of steam.
Davis has a ton of intriguing traits and manufacturing picked up as the sport went on. He is a participant that we may envision turning into completely unblockable off the sting in a couple of years.
NFL LEGACIES THOMAS DAVIS JR. AND CAMDIN PORTIS SHINE
4-star linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. coated a ton of actual property manning the center of the Weddington protection as a hybrid linebacker working inside and off the ball. Davis always places himself across the ball and flies across the discipline. Davis got here up with stress from the second stage of the unit and likewise dropped again into protection with a go defended in motion. We love his three-down potential and versatile ability set for the place. Notre Dame is a workforce buzzing proper now with Davis.
4-star CB Camdin Portis labored as a nickel within the Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park protection. Enjoying down by the road of scrimmage, Portis was excellent overlaying sideline to sideline making performs down and across the line of scrimmage at a excessive clip. Portis is somebody we have seen shine in protection and his prowess to defend the run with such authority is one other promising attribute for the defensive again. Miami simply hosted the legacy recruit final month.
NOTRE DAME COMMIT JADON BLAIR HAS PLENTY OF TRAITS
4-star SAF JaDon Blair was a jack of all trades for Mount Tabor on offense and protection. The Notre Dame verbal noticed motion at extensive receiver and is a large goal within the passing sport at 6-foot-4 and 185 kilos able to getting downfield and likewise working beneath and in the midst of the sector. Blair has added weight to his body as his senior season will get underway.
At security, Blair got here up with a few massive hits freelancing from the center-field function. He comes downhill in a rush and is a sound tackler able to enjoying a number of spots at completely different ranges of the protection. He made his presence felt across the entrance seven, too. Blair’s mixture of physicality, athleticism, and consciousness have been all on show. We love the traits and the influence the Notre Dame commit has on the sport in so many alternative capacities
VIRGINIA TECH-BOUND SHAMARIUS PETERKIN BRINGS BIG-PLAY SPARK
4-star extensive receiver Shamarius Peterkin offered the big-play spark to the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor offense. Peterkin noticed motion enjoying each extensive receiver and cornerback and thrived working downfield at receiver. The Virginia Tech verbal offered a vertical menace for his workforce. He can get downfield in a rush and separated with ease. Peterkins showcased the ball abilities and positive fingers battling for the soccer within the air. He’s effectively put-together at 6-foot-2 and 180 kilos and gives a vertical jolt to the offense.
STOCK UP ON 2026 DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS
Rivals250 DE Rodney Dunham had a handful of massive performs firing off the sting of the Myers Park defensive entrance. At 6-foot-5 and 215 kilos, Dunham has distinct traits that provide a glimpse into his upside. Dunham exploded for a deal with for loss on third-down and broke free for a number of pressures and quarterback hits in his opener. We just like the size, the get-off and the splash performs from a premium place from Dunham.
Three-star Charlotte (N.C.) Independence linebacker Dallas Brandon was an eye-catcher in the midst of the protection. The rangy 6-foot-2, 205-plus-pound defender covers a ton of actual property and always finds himself across the soccer. Brannon was glorious in pursuit patrolling from sideline to sideline and battling by means of blockers, and likewise got here up with a number of pressures off the sting for this entrance seven, too. Brannon has size and velocity and is massively productive at his place.
