Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Add Commitment from 2026 3✮ LB

Following a big final official visit weekend to close out the early signing period, the Tar Heels have landed another commitment on the defensive side of the football.

As he announced via social media on Tuesday afternoon, 2026 3✮ LB Jordan Avinger has committed to UNC over West Virginia and others. The commitment comes after the team hosted him for an official visit over the weekend, after he was offered by the staff back in early October following his decommitment from Arkansas.

Avinger, the No. 1430 overall prospect and No. 120 linebacker in the 2026 class according 247Sports Composite Player Rankings, just concluded his senior season at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School in Orangeburg, SC. This season, in seven games played, he racked up 38 total tackles and an interception on the defensive side of the football and ran for 358 yards and five touchdowns on just 26 carries on the offensive side of the ball. The year prior, as a junior, he played in nine games and tallied 50 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble on defense and 869 yards and ten touchdowns on just 56 carries on offense.

Avinger is a nice depth addition for the Tar Heels in this recruiting class. He brings some solid athleticism to the table as someone that can play both sides of the ball, but isn’t someone who is going to blow you away with great speed or anything like that. The thing that he does bring to the table is a physical downhill presence that allows him to make ball carriers pay when he meets them in the hole. Like we have seen with a lot of Belichick recruits, he brings a motor with him that allows him to chase down ball carriers from behind and make plays down the field. He looks solid in coverage and does a good job of playing the football when he has a chance to. He’s not going to be the headliner of this class of linebacker, but he is someone that boosts the depth in this room and he has the right mindset to turn into something at the next level with the right coaching.

With his commitment, the Tar Heels' 2026 class now sits at 36 total commitments. The class remains No. 17 in the overall rankings and No. 3 in the ACC.