The North Carolina Tar Heels and head coach Bill Belichick have landed another highly-touted weapon in the 2027 recruiting class to end the month of March.
As the North Carolina Tar Heels and head coach Bill Belichick prepare for the 2026 college football season, the coaching staff has continued to build momentum on the recruiting trail.
So far, Belichick and company have landed a total of four commitments within the 2027 recruiting class, including four-star athlete Marquis Bryant and three-star safety Chase Roberts. However, the Tar Heels were able to further their success within the upcoming class last week with another key commitment on Saturday.
According to a social media post, 2027 three-star running back Isaiah Stephens has committed to North Carolina over the likes of Purdue, Ole Miss, and SMU.
Stephens’ Recruitment Journey
Stephens, despite putting up impressive numbers throughout his high school career, is one of the more underrated prospects in the 2027 recruiting class. The talented offensive weapon is currently the No. 70 running back in his class, as well as a top-3 prospect in the state of Arkansas, per 247Sports’ Composite.
Throughout his two seasons at Sheridan High School, Stephens has quietly proven to be an electric playmaker with the ball in his hands. As a sophomore, he would record a total of 1,526 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 197 carries. In addition to being the leading contributor on the ground, Stephens also finished with an outstanding 911 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through the air, putting him on the radar of multiple Power Four college programs.
While Stephens had a slight dip in production as a junior, the versatile offensive player still notched 1,381 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, while picking up an additional 619 receiving yards and four touchdowns in the passing game.
One of the main reasons why Stephens has been overlooked by many of the top college programs is due to his small stature. Standing at 5-foot-7, 170 lbs., his size would make him an outlier at the running back position in college. Still, his explosiveness in both the run and pass game will assist him as he continues to develop.
Stephens is set to take an official visit to Chapel Hill on Jun. 5, followed by a quick stop at Purdue on Jun. 19.
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