All Tar Heels

Tar Heels Land Four-Star CB Flip from Miami

This Miami Hurricane flipped his commitment to North Carolina.
Jordon Lawrenz|
UNC football coach Bill Belichick during a press conference on Aug. 13, 2025, inside the Bill Koman Practice Complex.
UNC football coach Bill Belichick during a press conference on Aug. 13, 2025, inside the Bill Koman Practice Complex. | Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

Even after all the chaos within North Carolina's football program, HC Bill Belichick was still able to flip a four-star cornerback. Kenton Dopson recently announced that he'd be flipping his commitment from Miami to join the Tar Heels.

Earlier this month, Dopson reclassified to the Class of 2026. UNC hasn't had its eyes on him for too long, but the decision turned out to be an easy one.

Despite Miami's offering on Oct 7, 2024, Belichick's Aug 5, 2025, offer proved not to be too late. Dopson, who had been committed to Miami since March 13, 2025, officially visited UNC on September 13, 2025.

Even though he'd already been committed, Dopson went on another unofficial visit to Miami on Aug 31. Seeing as UNC had offered him earlier in the month, he quickly changed his mind after touring the Tar Heels' campus two weeks after that visit with the Hurricanes.

What This Means for UNC

Now, Belichick lands the No. 158 player in the nation. Standing 6'1'' 185-pounds, UNC was able to flip the Miami native who had always dreamed of playing for the Hurricanes, according to 247Sports Brian Dohn.

"How the staff value me as a priority and the chance to be coached by coach (Bill) Belichick," Dopson told Dohn in an interview after his decision to flip. Later, Dopson took to social media.

"First I want to say that I have nothing but love and respect for the coaches, staff, & fans of The U," he said. Dopson added, "However, after plenty thought, & long conversations with my father, I've decided it's in my best interest to answer the call at UNC football."

Dohn spoke about Belichick and the Tar Heels coaching staff convincing him to reclassify to the Class of 2026. In the end, they were able to beat out his hometown teams of Miami, Florida, and Florida State.

Dohn credits UNC's "competitive NIL/revenue sharing offer" as the main reason to get his commitment. After hearing the horror stories of how they handled their Class of 2025, it seems like Belichick and GM Michael Lombardi are finally picking up steam.

Dopson becomes the 37th member of the Tar Heels' 2026 recruiting class. While there's still plenty of time for others to flip, Belichick and company have started to build their foundation as the future is beginning to take shape. Acquiring Dopson was huge, as flipping a four-star cornerback is no easy feat, especially someone who was destined to play for their home team.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.