Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels’ 2026 3✮ DL Target Set Decision Date for Friday

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The defensive tackle spot is an area that the Tar Heels are still looking to add to in this 2026 class and after missing on one target at the position on Saturday, another one has now set his decision date for later this week.

As first reported by Blair Angulo of 247Sports, 2026 3✮ DL Viliami Moala will be announcing his commitment this Friday, August 1. Moala decommitted from Oregon back on July 7th and announced that he was also transferring to Thompson High School in Alabama for his senior season on that same date after originally transferring to Willamette High School in Oregon earlier this offseason. Since that point, the Tar Heels and Oklahoma Sooners have been the two teams that have become most involved with him and seem to be the two schools that this race is going to come down to.

Moala, the No. 602 overall prospect and No. 74 defensive tackle in the 2026 class according to 247Sports Composite Player Rankings, spent last season at Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah. In 11 games, he finished with 99 total tackles, 22.0 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, 35 quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble on his way to earning 6A first team all-state honors. The year prior, as a sophomore at Davis High School in Kaysville, UT, he collected 39 total tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

Heading into the decision, the Tar Heels appear to be the team with the advantage after they hosted him for an official visit back in mid-June. Late last week, Max Torres of Rivals submitted a prediction in favor of the Tar Heels and the expectation is that if there are any others cast between both major recruiting websites, it would be in their favor.