10 NC prospects make Rivals' Top 250 for the class of 2026
One day after On3 debuted its initial Top 300 for the class of 2026 football recruiting class, Rivals has updated its Rivals 250 national rankings for the same group.
14 players from North Carolina made On3's rankings yesterday. 10 are on the Rivals250 today.
Here are the prospects that made Rivals' updated list.
17. Samari Matthews | Hough High School (Cornelius)
- Cornerback
- 6-0
- 172
- HSOT All-State
Matthews is a long, sticky cornerback at Hough who has the gained offers from upwards of 30 programs, including SEC heavyweights like Alabama and Tennessee. Matthews is ranked much higher by Rivals, where he is the No. 2 corner in the country, than he is by On3.
18. Kendre Harrison | Reidsville High School
- Tight End
- 6-7
- 240
- HSOT All-State
Harrison has already been given a fifth star by 247Sports in football and ESPN in basketball. After having led Reidsville to a state championship in football and basketball this school year, he is arguably the best athlete in North Carolina right now regardless of age. In fall 2023, Harrison had 62 receptions for 930 yards (15.0/rec, 62.0/game) and16 touchdowns on offense. On defense, he had 70 tackles (5.0/game),17 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, 30 quarterback hits, seven pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and two forced fumbles.
41. Ekene Ogboko | South Garner High School
- Offensive Tackle
- 6-6
- 285
- HSOT All-State
Ogboko's older brother Nnamdi is now a defensive tackle at the University of Georgia, so some of the nation's top programs have know about him for a while. Ogboko has prototypical size for the offensive tackle position as he boasts an 85.5 inch wingspan. He is ranked similarly by On3.
75. Thomas Davis Jr. | Weddington High School
- Linebacker
- 6-2
- 195
- HSOT All-State
Rivals is higher on the son of Panthers great Thomas Davis. On3 has TJ Davis ranked at No. 136. Davis had a strong fall 2023 but really turned it on during Weddington's run to a 4A state championship. He had 92 tackles (5.8/game), 13.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception, eight pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
85. P.J. Dean | West Forsyth High School (Clemmons)
- Offensive Tackle
- 6-4
- 305
- HSOT All-State
Dean is also the younger brother of a current Georgia player: Jared Wilson. On3 has Dean ranked a bit higher at No. 26 in the nation and considers him to be an interior offensive lineman. He holds offers from every in-state FBS besides Wake Forest, as well as the Georgias, Florida States, and Tennessees of the world.
92. Brody Keefe | Myers Park High School (Charlotte)
- Wide Receiver
- 6-2
- 185
This is a great spot in the top 100 for Keefe after he was ranked at No. 266 by On3. Keefe is a strong route runner and dominant in contested catch situations. He drew the attention of college programs after his freshman year and could be one of the state's top receivers statistically this fall.
130. Leo Delaney | Providence Day School (Charlotte)
- Offensive Tackle
- 6-5
- 275
- HSOT All-State
Delaney is a top 100 prospect on On3's rankings but still finds himself as a 4-star according to Rivals. Along with class of 2025 5-star David Sanders, Delaney is a part of the state's best duo of linemen. Delaney made it at No. 98 on On3, but has been ranked in the top 50 on other sites.
190. Rodney Dunham | Myers Park High School (Charlotte)
- EDGE
- 6-5
- 210
Rivals is considerably lower on Dunham than On3, which has him at No. 53 in the entire country. Dunham is a blossoming prospect that had 55 total tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, 20 quarterback pressures, and three interceptions in nine varsity games for Myers Park in 2023.
221. Faizon Brandon | Grimsley High School (Greensboro)
- Quarterback
- 6-3.5
- 185
- HSOT All-State
Brandon was ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 12 overall player by On3. He was awesome in his first year as a starter for Grimsley. He completed 69% of his passes for over 3,000 yards, 36 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for over 500 yards and nine touchdowns. Brandon could be the best quarterback in North Carolina regardless of age.
223. Noah Clark | Jordan High School (Durham)
- Defensive Tackle
- 6-3
- 300
- HSOT All-State
This is the national rankings debut for Noah Clark, whose very first offer came from an SEC school in the University of South Carolina. During his sophomore season, Clark registered 57 tackles (5.7/game), nine tackles for a loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, one blocked punt, and one blocked kick on defense. He was also a productive player on the offensive line.
