The Summer Dead Period is in effect around the college football world, but that hasn't stopped Bill Belichick and the UNC football program from landing some commitments from the Class of 2026!
On Wednesday night, three-star safety Darien Lewis announced his commitment to the Tar Heels, becoming the eighth member of his recruiting class to do so since the Summer Dead Period began.
Lewis was considering three finalists as his recruitment neared the finish line. Along with North Carolina, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder from Amarillo, Texas considered TCU and UNLV, making visits to each campus. His last stop was, of course, to Chapel Hill, as the trend of talented high school football recruits committing shortly after their visit to North Carolina continues.
During his junior season at Palo Duro High School, Lewis did a little bit of everything for his team. Playing both sides of the ball, Lewis saw time at quarterback, wide receiver and safety, serving as his team's leading receiver.
At his natural position on the defensive side of the ball, Lewis recorded 61 tackles to go along with an interception and three pass breakups over 9 games played.
Currently, 247Sports composite ranks him as the No. 128 safety in the Class of 2026. He is the eighth defensive back commitment that Belichick and the UNC football program have secured within this graduating class.
The UNC football program is just one commitment short of 30 for this particular recruiting class, a group that ranks among the top 25 in the nation. Belichick and the Tar Heels staff have done a great job of bringing in talent on both sides of the football, as the hope is that this recruiting class will serve as a major building block for the future of the football program at the University of North Carolina.