Trashawn Ruffin All In on UNC: ‘Y’all Be Ready’

North Carolina just added a cornerstone to its 2026 class — and his name carries weight.

Trashawn Ruffin, a 6-foot-3, 307-pound defensive force out of Calypso, N.C., is one of the nation’s most dominant prospects, and now he’s a Tar Heel. A four-star recruit ranked No. 184 overall and No. 10 in North Carolina according to On3, Ruffin instantly becomes the highest-rated player in UNC’s 2026 recruiting class, which now includes eight commits. The next highest-rated is California cornerback Justin Lewis, ranked No. 638 nationally.

This isn’t a knock on the rest of Carolina’s class — it’s a reflection of just how monumental Ruffin’s pledge is. He’s not just a headliner. He’s a tone-setter. A recruit with an SEC-caliber offer sheet who flipped his commitment from Texas A&M to the Tar Heels, and brought national attention with him.

“Whoever thought Coach Belichick would come to UNC? Nobody ever thinks that,” Ruffin said. “It’s real. And it’s crazy.”

Before Ruffin became the talk of college football recruiting circles, he was dominating Friday nights at a 1A school where expectations were modest — but his performance was anything but.

“Last year, we went 10-1, fell short in the third round,” Ruffin said. “We played a conference team in the playoffs — we beat them the first time, but the second time didn’t go as planned. I feel like we didn’t play as hard, or they just wanted it more.”

From opposing coaches scheming against him to offensive lines collapsing under pressure, Ruffin stood out — and not just for his size. His explosiveness, strength, and relentlessness turned him into a nightmare matchup.

“I think I got better all around,” he said. “Bigger, stronger, way more explosive — and it paid off. All season I was literally getting triple-teamed and double-teamed.”

When asked about dealing with those triple and even quadruple teams, Ruffin didn’t flinch.

“Right now, I can’t stand it. But I know it’s not all about me. If I get quadruple-teamed, I know it’s three D-linemen free — somebody gonna eat.”

Ruffin’s rise started early in his high school career. He picked up his first offer from UNC Charlotte following a camp at NC State, then watched the interest snowball. NC State offered after seeing him at a basketball game. Florida State followed soon after.

“It all started after my freshman year, that summer going into my sophomore year,” Ruffin said. “UNC Charlotte saw me at camp, and then later that night I got my first offer. Then NC State, Old Dominion — and after that, it just kept rolling.”

And yes, he’s a three-sport athlete. Ruffin played basketball and football last year but made the calculated decision to sit out hoops this winter to focus on what matters most: getting better, staying healthy, and dominating on the gridiron.

“I didn’t want to get hurt, and I wanted to work,” he said. “Usually after football, I’m into basketball. After basketball, I’m into track. I wanted to take basketball off so I could get some time on the field and in the offseason — something I never really had.”

That extra work has shown. Ruffin is currently in spring track, but he’s also training nearly every weekend with Coach Chavar Tyrance of Cary Coaching Precision — a name that’s become a major part of his development.

“He’s a real big impact. Helping me out on everything,” Ruffin said. “Some stuff I used to do, I didn’t really know how to do with the equipment we had. Now I do.”

One major area of focus? Pass-rushing technique.

“I haven’t really had a good pass-rushing game, because our conference doesn’t pass much,” Ruffin said. “But I know later on, we’ll face people who do. He’s working with me heavy. I want to stop the run and be a real good run-stopper.”

Ruffin knows what’s coming this fall. The spotlight. The expectations. And the attention from offensive lines who already know what’s coming.

“I just wanna go out there and have fun with my teammates. It’s my last year,” Ruffin said. “I wanna dominate, be stronger, faster, more explosive, and have an even better stat line — even if I’m still getting double or triple-teamed.”

And he’s not just working for himself — he’s already working for the brand. Ruffin has taken on a recruiting role of his own, helping Carolina build something special.

“I go by every weekend. When other guys come up to UNC, I talk to them,” he said. “I ask how their recruitment process is going. I’m not gonna pressure anybody. But I keep in touch, I follow up, I let them know: we really want you at UNC.”

He also hasn’t lost sight of where this journey started.

“It’s a blessing that I'm at a little school in town called Calypso where nobody ever knows where it is,” Ruffin said. “And I get to go play for Bill Belichick? Man, ain't no way possible — who wouldn’t wanna play for him?”

So, Tar Heel fans — you wanted someone who could change the game up front?

Trashawn Ruffin has a message for you.

“I’m coming. Y’all be ready.”