North Carolina’s 2026 season still has work to do, but the Tar Heels keep stacking future talent anyway.
UNC is sitting at 4-4 and needs two more wins in its final four games to reach bowl eligibility. That reality hasn’t stopped the program from adding another notable piece to its 2028 recruiting class. Late Monday, the Tar Heels picked up a commitment from 4-star tight end Greg Kirwan, who visited Chapel Hill on Halloween.
Kirwan plays at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tenn., and becomes North Carolina’s second 4-star commitment in the 2028 cycle. The other is 4-star quarterback Levi Kerr, an in-state prospect from Marvin Ridge in Waxhaw.
Per the 247Sports Composite rankings, Kirwan is the No. 21 tight end in the 2028 class and the No. 19 prospect in Tennessee. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, he brings the kind of frame that could make him a major presence in UNC’s tight end room once he arrives.
That room needed help. North Carolina didn’t get much production from the position last season, though Jelani Thurman and Shamar Easter are now set to headline a 2026 reset. Thurman went from a little-used receiver at Ohio State to becoming Billy Edwards’ security blanket and big-play threat in Chapel Hill.
Kirwan still has two more high school seasons ahead of him, but UNC will be hoping he stays locked in with Bill Belichick’s program. For now, the Tar Heels have two 4-stars in the 2028 class and are still chasing more.
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Michael Malone Is Already Changing UNC's Recruiting Ceiling
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Henry pointed to Malones vision and winning mentality as key reasons for choosing UNC, and the NBA championship-winning coach made it clear the interest was personal. Malone attended many of Henrys games and repeatedly stressed that the forward was a priority for the program, a level of attention that can matter when elite prospects are weighing their next step. [Read more 🡒]