Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Complete Flip of 2026 3✮ P/K

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The Tar Heels hot streak on the 2026 recruiting trail continues after a day off and this time it comes in the form of a special teams addition.

As he posted on social media on Friday afternoon, 2026 3✮ P/K Adam McCann-Gibbs has flipped his commitment from Penn State to UNC. The team landed his commitment after an official visit to Chapel Hill over the weekend that led to him rethinking his commitment according to Brian Dohn of 247Sports. The Tar Heels landed the flip over Virginia Tech, a team that made a serious push for him following James Franklin’s hire as the team’s head coach. He had been committed to Penn State since late June.

McCann-Gibbs, the No. 2716 overall prospect and No. 11 kicker in the 2026 class according to 247Sports Composite Player Rankings, hails from Abbey Newry, North Ireland. According to Kohl’s Kicking Professional Camps, McCann-Gibbs is a talented 17-year-old from the country of Ireland. “He scored 106.3 points in punting, 114.15 points on kickoffs, and 11/15 points at a windy Spring Ranking Event in March of 2025,” the site wrote back in the offseason. “McCann-Gibbs demonstrates D1 talent and has a lot of upside as a kicker who can also punt.” Kohl’s ranks him at the No. 12 kicker in the 2026 class, while also ranking him as the No. 85 punter in the class.

According to McCann-Gibbs in comments to Inside Carolina, the team is planning on using him as a punter, while they plan to use fellow 3✮ K David Green as a placekicker.

With the commitment, the Tar Heels are now up to 40 commitments in the 2026 class, including two at the kicker spot. The class remains No. 17 overall and No. 3 in the ACC in the 2026 cycle according to 247Sports Composite Team Rankings.