True freshman defensive tackle Vodney Cleveland is not taking part in team activities after a single-vehicle crash in Chatham County, according to reporting first by Brian Murphy of WRAL and later confirmed by Inside Carolina.
The incident happened on September 17, when state troopers say Cleveland’s 2026 BMW struck a tree, came to rest and eventually caught fire. Witnesses told police he crossed the double yellow line, and the skid marks on the ground supported that account in the police report.
Troopers said Cleveland was going around a turn at 75 mph when he lost control on State Road 1731 in Pittsboro. The police report did not list any injuries.
WRAL reported that Cleveland was cited after the crash for exceeding the speed limit, unsafe passing and failure to maintain lane control. It was also his third speeding citation since arriving in Chapel Hill. In February, he was cited for driving 96 mph on I-40 in Greensboro, and just days before the crash, on September 14, he was cited for going 66 mph in a 45 mph zone.
Cleveland had been a major part of North Carolina’s 40-man recruiting class after originally being committed to Texas. The 247Sports Composite Player Rankings had him at No. 299 overall and No. 30 among defensive linemen in the 2026 class.
He played at Parker High School in Birmingham, AL, where he finished his senior season with 35 total tackles in 12 games. As a junior, he posted 50 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 15 games.
As a sophomore, he added 19 total tackles and a tackle for loss.
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