Oct 17, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Benjamin Hall (28) evades tackle by California Golden Bears defensive back Aiden Manutai (14) before running for a touchdown in the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

UNC Extends Offer to Talented 2027 Running Back

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Max Dorsey | Last updated Feb 10, 2026 9:00 AM ET

UNC head coach Bill Belichick and his staff have done a solid job in the 2027 recruiting cycle so far. Not only have the Tar Heels secured commitments from three talented prospects, but they have also been actively pursuing other top recruits in the class.

While Belichick and company have been making steady progress with some of their top 2027 targets, they have also continued to offer a flurry of new prospects, including a talented running back from Pennsylvania.

Tar Heels Offer 2027 Running Back

On Feb. 6, UNC extended an offer to Justice Hardy, a 2027 running back prospect from Wyomissing High School in Reading, Pennsylvania. He announced the offer on X, writing, "Blessed to have received an offer from the University of North Carolina!!"

Blessed to have received an offer from University of North Carolina!! @coachmeans_20 @mlombardiuncgm @Belichick_B @EdOBrienCFB @PAPrepVarsity @PaulRobertsCuse @MDrago59 @gobigrecruiting pic.twitter.com/0jNCuIgD7z
— Justice Hardy (@JusticeHardy12) February 6, 2026

Although Hardy isn’t a highly touted recruit and doesn’t have a star rating from 247Sports or Rivals, he’s still drawn interest from several Division I programs, and the Tar Heels were the third Power Four team to offer him, joining Duke and West Virginia.

Hardy is a talented athlete who plays both running back and defensive back at Wyomissing. He’s coming off an impressive junior season, where, according to his X, he recorded 1,130 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns on offense and tallied 40 tackles, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles on defense.

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

If he can put together a strong senior season, Hardy will likely gain national attention from most major recruiting sites.

Adding a planned running back to their 2027 class is a priority for the Tar Heels. Hardy is one of 11 players at the position UNC has offered so far this recruiting cycle, and the fourth since January, joining Jeremiah Dent, Nigel Newkirk, Isaiah Rogers, and Quinterrius Gibson.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While UNC’s offer to Hardy comes early in his process, a few schools have already made progress with the young running back. Duke has locked in an official visit with him in May, and Rivals currently projects West Virginia as the frontrunner in his recruitment.

As of now, Hardy hasn’t set a commitment date, and there’s no timeline on his decision, giving Belichick and his staff plenty of time to gain ground over the other programs pursuing him.

If the Tar Heels can make a strong early impression on him, continue to make progress with him in the coming months, and get him down to Chapel Hill for an official visit this spring, they should be well-positioned to be a strong contender for the talented 2027 running back.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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