Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Beat Out NC State for 2026 EDGE

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For the second time today, the Tar Heels added a commitment in the 2026 class, this time in the form of a Georgia edge rusher.

As he announced via social media on Thursday evening, the Tar Heels have landed a commitment from 2026 EDGE Lawrence Brown. This was the first prospect in the class that the Tar Heels really faced NC State head on and they came out on top after getting the last say when it came to his official visits. Brown also held offers from Arkansas, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Wake Forest, amongst others.

Brown, who is currently unranked in the 247Sports Composite Player Rankings, hails from Grayson High School in Loganville, GA. This past season, as a junior, he collected 30 total tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 28 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. He would receive all-region honors following the season where Grayson won the 6A state title in the state of Georgia.

At 6’4, 210 lbs., it’s not hard to figure out what type of edge rusher Brown is. He may use his length and speed to win off the line of scrimmage, but he does it at a pretty elite level. He has an explosive release and burst off the line of scrimmage that makes him almost impossible to stay in front of at the high school level and it is something that might very well be able to translate to the next level. The biggest concern with him is going to be his size and the lack of physicality in his game, but those are things that we think can be developed by this coaching staff. One thing you can’t coach is the motor and it runs hot for him because he makes sure that he is involved in some form or fashion on most plays, even if they are not heading in his direction. These smaller guys on the edge haven’t necessarily hit for the Tar Heels over the past few recruiting cycles and Brown is in need of some development before he can contribute. The hope, though, is that this staff can do a better job of developing those types of guys than the previous one.

With his commitment, the Tar Heels are up to 25 commits in the 2026 recruiting class with two coming so far at the edge rusher position. Because his is unranked, he has no effect on the ranking of the 2026 class which remains No. 18 overall and No. 5 in the ACC according to 247Sports Composite Team Rankings.