Bill Belichick adds touted LB commit who was previously committed to Arkansas

You can officially add another Class of 2026 commitment to the board for Bill Belichick and the UNC football program.

The latest comes from mid-three-star linebacker prospect Jordan Avinger. He becomes the fifth linebacker who has committed to North Carolina as part of this large recruiting haul.

Things turned quickly for Jordan Avinger

Initially committing to Arkansas in August, Avinger reconsidered his options after Sam Pittman was relieved of his duties. He took a trip to West Virginia and made a stop in North Carolina, deciding to decommit from his original pledge just a day following that stop in Chapel Hill.

It appears that his official visit was more than enough to help him change his mind.

North Carolina's 2026 class remains strong

With the addition of Avinger, the UNC football program has secured 36 hard commitments from members of the Class of 2026. The number of commitments has fluctuated a bit, but it hasn't affected the Tar Heels much, as they remain No. 17 overall in the 247Sports team rankings for this recruiting cycle.

What this means for UNC

This is yet another strong addition to this recruiting class, one that continues to serve as the future building block of the Bill Belichick era. Recruits still aren't shying away from Chapel Hill (considering all the outside noise making it seem as if Belichick has one foot out the door), as they are all buying into what the UNC football program has to offer.

Those two things are very enticing: a chance to play for arguably the greatest head coach of all-time while being part of a turnaround for one of the most prestigious colleges in the entire country.

This recruiting class will provide Bill (and Steve) Belichick a lot of new weapons to work with on the defensive side of the football!