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Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Make Another Huge Splash in 2026 Class in Form of 4✮ ATH

@coscj1- Instagram
@coscj1- Instagram

The Tar Heels have been pushing hard to add another headliner to their 2026 class and fill a need at the slot receiver positions and they accomplished just that on Friday night.


As he announced via a 247Sports YouTube stream, 2026 4✮ ATH CJ Sadler has committed to the Tar Heels over Michigan, Colorado and Maryland. His commitment comes after he took an official visit to Chapel Hill back in early June, which put the Tar Heels firmly in the driver's seat from that point forward.


Sadler, the No. 118 overall prospect and No. 7 athlete in the 2026 class according to 247Sports Composite Player Rankings, is preparing to start his final season at Cass Technical School in Detroit, MI. Last year, as a junior, he caught 51 passes for 1,043 yards and 14 touchdowns and ran the ball for 105 yards and five touchdowns on just 15 carries on offense and collected 55 total tackles, four interceptions and a sack on defense. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and one punt for a touchdown on special teams on his way to being named the MaxPreps Player of the Year in the state of Michigan, along with his all-region and all-state honors.


Sadler, who measures in at 5’9.5, 185 lbs., is a player who is capable of playing both sides of the ball at a pretty high level. Offensively, he shines as a receiver for a multitude of reasons. He has a huge catch radius for someone who is as short as he is and he does a great job of creating separation and finding a way to get open. His route tree is pretty complete and his route running is very crisp, making him a tough cover. He does a good job of catching the ball with his hands as opposed to allowing the ball to get into his body and because of that, is a reliable receiver that can be trusted to come up with the big catches when needed. After the catch, he is plenty shifty, making him difficult to tackle when you pair it with his promising speed. On defense, he looks like he could be a perfect fit in the nickel corner spot. He is a guy who can thrive in either man or zone coverage because of that speed that he brings to the table and the fact that he is so good when it comes to playing the football. Where he really shines is as a tackler because he does a great job of not overpursuing or taking bad angles to the ball carrier while still being aggressive when it comes to getting into the backfield. He is not afraid of playing with physicality and is as sure-handed a tackler as you are going to find at the corner spot in this class. Size is the biggest concern with him, but it shouldn’t take him long to contribute, considering the level of competition that he faces at the high school level and how he has shined in the camp setting when matched up with some of the best in the country.


With the commitment, the Tar Heels now have 36 total commitments in the 2026 class and finally one in the slot in the receiver room. The addition also jumps the class to No. 17 overall and No. 4 in the ACC.

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