The Tar Heels 2025 class may have been one that had you concerned about the direction of recruiting for the football program, but the start that the team’s 2026 class is off to should quiet those concerns just a little bit. For a second straight night, the Tar Heels have landed a commitment in that class, this time from an out-of-state cornerback.
Earlier this evening, 2026 CB Danny Odem III announced his commitment to UNC over Ole Miss, UCF and the others via social media. Odem, who told Inside Carolina’s Don Callahan that the Tar Heels were his “dream school”, was part of a big group of recruits that attended Saturday’s home opener against the Charlotte 49ers.
Odem is currently unranked by 247Sports, On3 Sports, and Rivals but has a 3✮ rating on ESPN. He is also listed as a wide receiver on all of those websites but was offered by Tar Heels defensive back coach Charlton Warren as a cornerback.
Odem is in the midst of his first year with The First Academy in Orlando, FL after transferring there from his hometown of Farrell, PA in the offseason. Through the first three games of the season, he has compiled 24 total tackles, one interception and one pass deflection while spending his entire time on the defensive side of the ball after playing at his previous school. Last year at Farrell High School, he had 33 total tackles, three interceptions, five pass deflections and two forced fumbles. He also had 50 catches for 613 yards and seven touchdowns on offense and 163 yards and a touchdown between both return spots on special teams.
Odem is a corner that has plenty of upside, especially now that he is focusing on that side of the ball exclusively. He has good size at 6’1, 170 lbs. to play on the outside at the college level and his skillset matches the size. He can succeed in either man or zone coverage situations with his ability to quickly get in and out of breaks and close on the football. He does a good job playing the ball when he’s in position and his receiver background could help him pull those down for interceptions at a higher rate than some corners. He shows a willingness to be involved in the run games as witnessed by his tackle numbers and he’s a solid tackler. It will be interesting to keep monitoring him this season to see just how high his ceiling may be, but there is a lot to like here already.
With his announcement, the Tar Heels now have three players committed to their 2026 class. Because he is unranked, this has no impact on the team’s 247Sports Composite team ranking in the class, but it shouldn’t be long before these sites officially rate him. Regardless, this is a strong start for the team in what is going to be a very important 2026 cycle.
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