Heel Tough Blog: 2026 3✮ LB Target Announces Final Three

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The Tar Heels are pushing to add more commitments to their 2026 recruiting class and on Sunday they got a step closer to doing so with one of their top linebacker targets.

As he revealed via his social media accounts earlier this afternoon, 2026 3✮ LB Julian Burns is down to three schools in the hunt for his commitment. The Tar Heels are one of those three still alive following last weekend’s visit along with Miami and Tennessee.

Burns, the No. 829 overall prospect and No. 68 linebacker in the 2026 class according to 247Sports Composite Player Rankings, hails from Neville High School in Monroe, LA. This past season, as a junior, he finished with 81 total tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and two interceptions in eleven games on his way to earning District 2-5A honors.

The Tar Heels have to be the favorite in this race following last weekend. Don Callahan of Inside Carolina said that Carolina “exceeded his expectations” and with officials still yet to be publicly scheduled for his other two finalists, it feels like they are in control of this recruitment right now.