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Bill Belichick Leveraged Lawrence Taylor And Julius Peppers To Lure 340-lb SEC Commit To Carolina

#North Carolina Tar Heels
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Football coach Bill Belichick attends a North Carolina basketball game.

© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images


The North Carolina football team landed a big fish (literally!) on the recruiting trail this week. In-state defensive tackle Trashawn Ruffin flipped his commitment to join Bill Belichick after a recent visit to campus.

The Tar Heels pulled out all the stops on that trip, and it paid immediate dividends. Just days after seeing Chapel Hill, Ruffin pulled the trigger.

The lineman is a four-star prospect that tips the scales at 340 pounds. He’d received interest from programs all over the country, and had previously pledged to play for Texas A&M.

Ruffin made his visit in early March. He was able to take in a North Carolina-Duke basketball game alongside former UNC stars Julius Peppers and Lawrence Taylor.

Trashawn Ruffin backed off his Texas A&M pledge after five months.

He’d pledged to play for Mike Elko in October of 2024. Despite that commitment, his recruitment remained open.

Ruffin had official visits scheduled for LSU, UNC, South Carolina, and A&M this summer. After flipping to the Tar Heels, those trips might now be off the books.

Ruffin’s flip is a huge win for Bill Belichick. The defensive lineman is now the headliner in his 2026 recruiting class. The first-year coach went toe-to-toe with the SEC and won.

Prior to Ruffin’s pledge, Belichick had made a living on stockpiling lacrosse players to join his roster. Now, he’s turned the focus towards the big uglies.

 

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Bill Belichick’s recruiting prowess was on full display in this latest flip. It answered a question many had when he took the North Carolina job.

He’s worked on his ability to connect with the younger generation, and it’s paying off in the form of commitments. He made sure to use every resource available in Trashawn Ruffin’s recruitment, including a pair of former UNC stars. He’ll now look to build on the momentum and continue elevating his ’26 cycle.