Tar Heels Offer 5-Star 2028 Safety

• “#AGTG after a great conversation with [Lance Thompson] I’m blessed and beyond grateful to receive an offer from [the] University of North Carolina,” Tuggle wrote. 

Although Tuggle is only a sophomore at Winder-Barrow, he’s already emerged as one of the nation’s top defensive backs. 247Sports’ composite rankings list him as the No. 10 overall player in the 2028 class, the No. 1 safety, and the No. 1 prospect in the state of Georgia. 

While it’s still early in his process, a few programs have already made progress with Tuggle. The five-star safety has scheduled spring visits to several of his top schools, including Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Georgia, Texas A&M, Texas, Nebraska, Florida State, Florida, and Oregon.

As of now, the Cornhuskers appear to be the frontrunner in his recruitment, with Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) currently giving Nebraska a 53% chance of landing him. Still, Tuggle isn’t expected to announce his commitment anytime soon, giving Belichick and his staff plenty of time to make up ground with the Winder-Barrow star. 

The Tar Heels have been building their 2028 recruiting board over the past few months, and Tuggle is one of several talented prospects UNC has offered, joining players like five-star cornerback A’Mir Sears and four-star linebacker Tysir Young.

While there’s likely a long way to go before any of those prospects make a decision, extending them an offer this early in the process helps the Tar Heels cement their status as a contender in the recruitment.

If UNC can make a strong early impression on Tuggle and continue to strengthen their relationship with him over the coming months, the Tar Heels could be in a position to compete for one of the top defensive backs in the 2027 class.

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