Heel Tough Blog: 2026 Official Visit Primer- June 13th

After a packed week of official visits which included some pretty high profile targets making a trip to campus midweek, the Tar Heels are ready to host another large group of official visitors starting on Friday afternoon. Here is a look at who will be on campus and where the Tar Heels stand in their recruitments going in.

Uncommitted

4✮ WR Jayden Petit- First Baptist Academy (Naples, FL)

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Petit is the latest high-profile receiver that will be on campus and this another one who enters with plenty of opportunity for the Tar Heels to position themselves well. Miami was the slight favorite based on location, but as of now he does not have a visit scheduled there, meaning this feels like it is anyone’s race. Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Missouri will be the schools that the Tar Heels will be hoping to outshine this weekend.

4✮ WR Sequel Patterson- Indian Land (Fort Mill, SC)

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Patterson is the player that enters this weekend with a clear favorite in the race for him. The South Carolina Gamecocks have received multiple forecasts in their favor since Patterson’s reclassification to the 2026 class and they are expected to be the only other school that gets an official visit from him. The Tar Heels will really have to blow him away this weekend if they want to come away with his commitment.

4✮ OT Thomas Wilder- Green Run (Virginia Beach, VA)

@official7oh- Instagram

After Wilder missed what was supposed to be his official visit weekend back in mid-May, there was a question as to whether or not the Tar Heels would actually be able to get him on campus. With them accomplishing that, the team is now back in the hunt here of what is a four team race for his commitment that should be announced shortly after the conclusion of his official visit schedule. The Tar Heels have to beat out Maryland, Penn State and Virginia Tech for his commitment, all teams that thrive in the 757 area of Virginia, but they can’t feel too bad about where they sit right now.

4✮ IOL Brandon Anderson- North Cobb (Kennesaw, GA)

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Anderson is a guy that we haven’t heard a lot about but that the team is in the hunt for. The Tennessee Volunteers have been a long standing favorite here, even after his decommitment from the school back in January and is the team that the Tar Heels must outshine, meaning they need to lay it all on the table. Even if they do, it might not be enough when it is all said and done.

3✮ WR Walker Bryson- Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Rabun Gap, GA)

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Bryson is one of the guys who enters the weekend with the Tar Heels sitting as the presumed leader. A lot of this has to do with his brother currently being a part of the team, but it is also because of a lack of other competitors. Indiana hosted him a week ago and could be a factor, however this feels like a recruitment that the team could end this weekend if they want to.

3✮ DL Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais- Cherry Creek (Englewood, CO)

@nicklew72- Instagram

Umu-Cais is another prospect who enters this weekend with a pretty open race for his recruitment. If there is a leader, it is hometown Colorado State, who will get the final shot next weekend, but it feels like the Tar Heels are in a position to pounce if they want to this weekend.

3✮ CB Xavier Jackson- Bergen Catholic (Willington, NJ)

@lukeschlaiferphoto- Instagram

Jackson was originally scheduled to visit Michigan State this weekend, but following his offer, will be heading to Chapel Hill instead. Minnesota and Pittsburgh have already hosted him for official visits and it’s tough to get a great read on who has the lead between the two, but it feels like there is plenty of opportunity here for the Tar Heels this weekend. A strong enough visit might just be enough to surge them to the lead here.

UR EDGE Lawrence Brown- Grayson (Loganville, GA)

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Brown is another prospect that enters Chapel Hill this weekend with a three team race for his services. NC State hosted him last weekend for an official visit and Pittsburgh will do the same next weekend to book-end his official visit schedule. The Tar Heels might be the favorite, though, right now because of the connection with Travis Burgess and if they can show him enough this weekend, it might be enough to land his commitment.

UR LB Ja’Prei Wafer- Allen (Allen, TX)

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Wafer is as underrated of a prospect as you can possibly get as he only appears on Rivals amongst all of the recruiting websites. With that, it is incredibly difficult to tell where his recruitment is at, but it does appear that this is going to be the only official visit that he takes. The bigger question will be is he a take for the Tar Heels if he wants to commit?

UR DL Aveon Williams- Casa Grande Union (Casa Grande, AZ)

@kennytooktheflix- Instagram

With Williams, it is the Tar Heels battling some West Coast Group of 6 teams for his commitment. UNLV got the official visit from him last weekend and Sacramento State will get their shot with him next weekend, but it appears like UNC will be the only Power 4 school that gets an official visit with Kansas State looking like they might get shut out. Because of that, it feels like the Tar Heels have a great shot to land him if they want to make a push.

Committed to Other School

3✮ IOL Will Conroy- IMG Academy (Cleveland, OH) [COMMITTED TO OKLAHOMA]

Conroy is the first flip candidate that the Tar Heels have hosted this summer and it feels like they have a legitimate shot here. The fact that he is even taking the visit shows that there is mutual interest between the two sides and IMG Academy is a school that Belichick made it clear he wants to establish a pipeline with. Conroy has been solidly committed to Oklahoma for a while, so it won’t be easy, but if the Tar Heels make a strong push this weekend, it might be enough to complete the flip.