UNC Extends Offer to Elite 2028 Linebacker

While North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick and his recruiting staff, led by general manager Michael Lombardi, have been locked in on the 2027 recruiting trail, the Tar Heels have also been targeting some of the top prospects in the 2028 class.

Over the past few weeks, UNC has extended offers to several talented 2028 prospects, most recently to a four-star linebacker from Delaware.

Tar Heels Offer 4-Star 2028 Linebacker

On Feb. 18, UNC extended an offer to Tysir Young, a four-star linebacker from Middletown High School in Middletown, Delaware. He announced the offer on X, writing, “Honored to have earned my 23rd scholarship offer from [UNC Football]!”

Honored to have earned my 23rd scholarship offer from @UNCFootball!@mlombardiuncgm @nichols_ty @Belichick_B @TarHeel_247 pic.twitter.com/Oxmq0lXoLE
— Tysir Young 9 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@TysirYoung9) February 19, 2026

As Young notes, the Tar Heels are the 23rd Division I school to offer him, joining several of the nation’s top programs, including Indiana, Oregon, Miami, South Carolina, and others.

Young has emerged as one of the top prospects in the 2028 class and is coming off a strong season at Middletown, where he played both tight end and linebacker. According to his X, he finished his sophomore year with 16 catches for 264 yards and four touchdowns on offense, while recording 85.5 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles on defense.

UNC helme — Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a North Carolina Tar Heels helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

He would be an excellent addition to the Tar Heels’ 2028 class, with 247Sports’ composite rankings listing him as the No. 112 overall player nationally, the No. 8 linebacker, and the No. 1 prospect in the state of Delaware.

While it’s still early in Young’s recruitment, a few programs are standing out to the four-star linebacker. As of now, Penn State appears to be the frontrunner in his recruitment, with the Nittany Lions hosting him on several unofficial visits over the past year, including a Junior Day visit last month.

Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in the second quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Still, there’s a long way to go before Young makes a decision, and the Tar Heels should have plenty of time to make up ground in the young linebacker’s recruitment.

Belichick and his staff have been ramping up their activity on the 2028 recruiting trail, and extending an offer to Young shows that the Tar Heels aren’t shying away from pursuing the top prospects in the class.

While UNC will face competition from several schools for Young, if the Tar Heels can make a strong early impression on him and continue to strengthen their relationship with him over the coming months, they should be well-positioned to compete for one of the top overall prospects in the country.

Please follow us on X when you click right HERE! Please make sure you follow us today on our Facebook page when you click right HERE!

Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Tar Heels when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW