Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

UNC Lands Four-Star DT Vodney Cleveland in Early Signing Day Flip From Texas

The Alabama native strengthens Bill Belichick’s defensive front following a 4–8 debut season.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns looks on before the game against the Georgia Bulldogsat Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

Overview

  • North Carolina confirmed Cleveland’s signed letter on Early National Signing Day, with Tar Heels Wire noting he becomes the highest-ranked member of UNC’s 2026 class.
  • The Parker High School standout previously pledged to Alabama on Oct. 31, 2024, reopened his recruitment, committed to Texas on June 21, 2025, and finalized a flip to UNC today.
  • Cleveland is a 6-foot-3, 305-pound interior lineman from Birmingham with a junior-season line of 50 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, and he held nearly 40 Division I offers.
  • He is a consensus four-star prospect, listed by 247Sports Composite around No. 243 nationally and No. 28 at defensive line, with Tar Heels Wire citing a No. 199 national ranking.
  • Coverage frames the decision as a significant recruiting win for UNC and a setback for Texas, with analysts expecting him to bolster immediate interior depth for the Tar Heels.