All Tar Heels

UNC Loses Second Commit as Three-Star TE Decommits

After losing a three-star WR earlier in the day, North Carolina now must day goodbye to a three-star TE.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels and Virginia Cavaliers players react at the end of overtime at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels and Virginia Cavaliers players react at the end of overtime at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

First, it was three-star wide receiver Kei'Maurii Miles; now it's three-star tight end Cooper McCutchan. North Carolina has had his commitment since May 7, but as of November 5, he no longer wants to be a Tar Heel.

UNC went through an unlucky stretch as a pair of offensive weapons both decided to go their separate way on the same day. Not often does that happen to a team, especially one led by head coach Bill Belichick.

The Tar Heels' struggles this season have been well-documented, though they seem to be trending in the right direction. Their 27-10 win over Syracuse was certainly a start, but their Class of 2026 looks extremely promising.

UNC Loses Miles and McCutchan

With all eyes on Belichick, many are wondering how he's going to recover from losing a pair of three-star recruits on the same day. UNC has an extremely large Class of 2026, as prior to these two decommitting, there were 39 players on the way. Now, at 37, there's no need for Belichick and company to panic.

McCutchan posted a statement on social media, "After much consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided to decommit from North Carolina and reopen my recruitment process."

  • "I want to sincerely thank everyone at UNC (coaches, staff, and other commits) and I am grateful for the relationships I've built," he added. "I look forward to exploring new opportunities and continuing my athletic, academic, and personal growth."

Are Things Starting To Fall Apart?

With so many players committed, the team should've expected this to eventually happen. While losing a player is never fun, especially losing two in the same day, the Tar Heels still have an extremely strong Class of 2026.

At this point, they can live without a few three-star players on their roster, though they need to make sure this doesn't continue to happen, especially knowing they now only have one TE coming in next year.

Even though McCutchan committed to UNC on May 7, he later went on official visits with Duke and Purdue. For a Top 75 tight end to go on visits after pledging his commitment, the Tar Heels may have known the writing was on the wall. Seeing as they have such a large Class of '26, sometimes it's best to let these players walk.

McCutchan stands 6'4'', 220 pounds, and plays for Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati, OH. He's a true tight end who should have no issues finding a home elsewhere. He previously held offers from Kentucky, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, and Washington, among others.

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

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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.