Bill Belichick, UNC flips a top CB in wake of Penn State firing James Franklin

North Carolina landed a significant recruiting win Thursday as four-star cornerback David Davis flipped his commitment from Penn State to the Tar Heels.

Davis, a standout at Pittsburgh’s Imani Christian Academy, originally committed to Penn State in March but reopened his recruitment after the school fired head coach James Franklin in October. 

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive back visited West Virginia soon after and traveled to Chapel Hill last weekend for his first look at UNC’s campus.

“UNC had a killer weekend, especially their defense,” Davis told InsideCarolina.com earlier this week. “They’re definitely moving up on my list.”

BREAKING: Four-Star CB David Davis has Flipped his Commitment from Penn State to North Carolina, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The 6’0 190 CB from Pittsburgh, PA had been Committed to the Nittany Lions since March⁰⁰“Feels great being a part of history”⁰⁰https://t.co/gCuslZ5IY2 pic.twitter.com/fqNMTlBYLG

Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels capitalized on that momentum.

Davis is ranked No. 381 overall and the No. 39 cornerback in the Rivals' Rankings. He made the trip to Chapel Hill with his younger brother and came away impressed by the staff and the direction of the program under Belichick.

Davis also held offers from Kentucky, Nebraska, Pitt and Tennessee.

For a North Carolina team preparing for another challenging ACC matchup with Wake Forest, Davis’ decision provides a lift on the recruiting trail. The Tar Heels have made the secondary a top priority as they continue reshaping the roster for 2025 and beyond.

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