Bill Belichick’s significant move landed 40 players in UNC’s 2026 class. To keep their momentum rolling, the Tar Heels plan to commit a 4-star in-state safety over Clemson, who’s been in contact since 2024. The insiders’ report provides key details on the tight contention and the UNC’s edge over the Tigers.

The 5-foot-11 North Carolina native Marquis Bryant has been a top target of the Clemson Tigers’ 2027 class. However, On3 Steve Wiltfong’s report suggests Belichick’s Tar Heels as the favorite.

“It’s Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels that look to be in the best position, and I’ve logged a Rivals Prediction Machine forecast to reflect that,” Steve Wiltfong wrote.

According to Rivals (RPM), North Carolina has an 84.5 percent chance of landing a commitment with Bryant, while Clemson only has a 4.1 percent chance. While Wiltfong’s prediction and RPM don’t guarantee Bryant’s commitment to the Tar Heels, it remains a positive sign for UNC, as his prediction rarely fails.

North Carolina has been targeting Marquis Bryant throughout the 2027 recruiting cycle. The Tar Heels first offered him in June 2024, before Bill Belichick took over the program as head coach, and have continued the efforts to land a commitment with the in-state talent, and arranged multiple visits to the campus. 

On the other hand, Clemson has been in talks with the 4-star prospect since September 2024, but offered later in June 2025. Meanwhile, he had multiple unofficial visits to the campus, pushing hard to land a commitment.

However, North Carolina and Clemson are not the only two programs that are in contention for Marquis Bryant. The 190-pounder has 30 offers from top schools across the country. However, he narrowed his list to 12 schools, naming UNC, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, NC State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Rutgers, Tennessee, and Texas A&M.

Despite the long list and almost a year to make his decision, Bryant made a public announcement that he will announce his decision on December 16. But to understand just the firepower he would be bringing, it is important to look at his high school stats.

Marquis Bryant’s high school career

Marquis Bryant is a 5-foot-11, 190-pound, four-star prospect of the 2027 class from Rolesville, North Carolina. He is ranked as the 169th overall prospect, the No. 17 safety, and the No. 8 player in the state of North Carolina. 

Ever since Bryant stepped onto the high school scene, his talent grabbed attention, earning a spot on Rolesville High School’s squad as a freshman. As a freshman, he played 12 games, posting 53 tackles, two for a loss, one sack, one forced fumble, ten pass deflections, and one interception. 

He reflected a similar gameplay as a sophomore, posting 58 tackles, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, ten pass breakups, and one interception, leading his school to a 14-2 finish and ranking No. 3 in the state. He led his team to the NCHSAA 4A playoffs but lost to No. 21-ranked Grimsley in the state title game, ending as a runner-up.

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Despite his last two seasons’ success, his 2025 season didn’t turn out as expected for his school. Rolesville had its worst recorded season in the last four years, finishing 9-4, losing to Hoggard in the third round of the NCHSAA 4A Playoffs. However, Bryant recorded his best performance, totaling 28 tackles, one for a loss, a forced fumble, three pass deflections, and six interceptions, and posted a touchdown, returning the ball.

That’s quite a performance from the youngster!