UNC Adds Class of 2026 Four-Star LB

Forkpa, who's ranked No. 41 in ESPN's 300, had plenty of schools interested in him. He'd fielded offers from the likes of Missouri, Miami, Michigan, Florida State, among others. In the end, he chose the Tar Heels.

"If God didn't love Carolina, why'd he make the sky blue," he told Rivals' Hayes Fawcett. His commitment came as a surprise to Gators fans who fully thought that he was coming to Florida.

The Under Armour All-American currently plays for St. Frances Academy. Despite living in Maryland, he had extensive interest from schools in the state of Florida, including USF, UCF, and FIU. Other teams that threw offers his way included: Colorado, Ole Miss, Cincinnati, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Indiana, among others.

UNC's Stellar Recruiting Class

While the team has gotten off to a slow start in 2025, many are quick to point out that they could easily be 5-3 with a ranked win. Belichick's two-point conversion try against Virginia fell inches short, but he made sure his team wasn't going to let a halftime deficit to Syracuse get to them.

With Stanford, Wake Forest, Duke, and NC State on the Horizon, the Tar Heels still have a solid chance to become bowl eligible. They know that their Class of 2026 is stellar, but the last thing Belichick wants to do is miss a bowl game in his first season.

Looking ahead to year two, UNC is set. They now have the No. 15 Class of 2026 as they're one recruit shy of 40 commitments. According to 247Sports, Forkpa is their ninth-highest rated recruit for next season.

UNC has commitments from four true linebackers. That doesn't include the EDGE rushers that are on the way, and there are quite a few of them in the mix. Belichick's defense should be solid for years to come, something that is music to Tar Heels fans' ears. At this rate, they're destined to have a Top 10-ranked Class of '26.

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