North Carolina flips 4-star OT J.B. Shabazz from Tennessee

Winston-Salem (N.C.) East Forsyth four-star offensive tackle J.B. Shabazz has flipped his commitment from Tennessee to North Carolina, per Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett.

Pledged to the Volunteers since July 11, Shabazz is now set to stay in-state at the next level and suit up for Bill Belichick and Co. in Chapel Hill. He was in attendance for the Tar Heels’ season-opening loss to TCU on Monday night.

Shabazz is the No. 308 overall prospect and No. 28 OT in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 14 player in North Carolina.

Rivals ranks the 6-foot-6, 280-pounder higher than other recruiting services. He checks in as the No. 65 recruit, No. 9 OT and No. 7 player in North Carolina, per the Rivals300.

UNC was not a finalist for Shabazz in the lead-up to his July decision, but he has been on campus multiple times throughout his recruitment, including his latest trip this week. He visited in March and left impressed as the Tar Heels hosted many for their basketball game against rival Duke.

“The UNC game environment was crazy!” Shabazz told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong after the spring trip. “I had an awesome time at the game and with the coaches. I didn’t get the chance to talk to Julius Peppers but I got the opportunity to talk to Lawrence Taylor and it was great talking to him for a bit. What excites me is being with Coach Belichick and around his guys because I feel like he’s gonna change the program completely and I can’t wait for that.”

Despite the disappointing result to open the Belichick era, UNC is still making moves on the recruiting trail. Earlier on Thursday, Wiltfong logged a pick for the Tar Heels to flip 2027 four-star cornerback Kenton Dopson from Miami. Shabazz is the second four-star to flip from Tennessee to UNC, as Nashville DCA tight end Carson Sneed did the same on Aug. 1.

UNC adds another blue-chipper to 2026 class

With Shabazz now in the mix, North Carolina’s massive 2026 class features 37 commits. There are 10 four-stars at the top of the pledge list. Detroit Cass Tech four-star athlete CJ Sadler remains the top-ranked commit in the mix following his decision last month. He checks in at No. 123 nationally.

Jackson (Ala.) four-star wide receiver Keeyun Chapman is a top-20 wideout and headlines the major wins for UNC in July. Bluffton (S.C.) WR Carnell Warren was a former Virginia Tech pledge and opted to join UNC’s class on July 9. Houston Cy Ranch linebacker Calvin Thomas committed three days later, while Avon (Ohio) safety Jakob Weatherspoon announced a surprising flip from Ohio State to the Tar Heels on July 16.

At the end of May, UNC landed Loganville (Ga.) Grayson quarterback Travis Burgess over Auburn and NC State. Burgess, an Elite 11 Finals participant, has seen his stock soar and now ranks as the nation’s No. 14 signal-caller.

The entire North Carolina class can be seen here.