UNC loses commitment of four-star EDGE following Mack Brown's firing

Four-star edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes decommitted from UNC's 2026 class on Tuesday. He gave his pledge to the Tar Heels on Sept. 8 but decided to reopen his recruitment within an hour of learning of Mack Brown's dismissal as the program's head football coach.

This was Brown's second stint as North Carolina coach, taking the job in late 2018. He was a key figure in Griffin-Haynes' commitment to the school.

"Mack Brown and I had a great relationship and that pretty much sums up my recruitment," Griffin-Haynes told 247Sports. "Now that he's gone, he was a person I can trust without my mom being there. He has great experience in college football."

In his second stint, Brown reestablished the Tar Heels by leading them to bowl games in every season since 2018 but won only once. However, his sudden departure left recruits like Zavion Griffin-Haynes questioning their future with the team.

Just two months ago, Griffin-Haynes appeared fully committed to UNC, as he expressed his confidence in the program, saying (via HighSchoolOT):

"UNC just felt like home. I had relationships with all the coaches, not just one coach. All the coaches would hit me up on the daily, checking up on me, seeing how practice was, how I played, coming to see me in person."

However, the bond he shared with Brown stood out above the rest.

Zavion Griffin-Haynes has recorded 37 total tackles and nine tackles for a loss in his junior season, according to MaxPreps. The Rolesville High School (North Carolina) standout is the No. 15 edge rusher in the country, the No. 10 player in North Carolina and the No. 170 overall prospect in the 2026 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

The 2026 recruit has plenty of time to weigh his options and determine his next steps. He has more than 30 offers from programs like Duke, Illinois, Penn State, Florida State, Ohio State, Florida A&M, NC State, Ole Miss, Auburn, Missouri and Michigan State, among others.

UNC recruiting class update following Zavion Griffin-Haynes' decommitment

Zavion Griffin-Haynes was UNC’s top-rated recruit in the 2026 class. Following his decommitment, the cycle is left with two committed players: cornerback Danny Odem and quarterback Zaid Lott.

Griffin-Haynes might not be the only recruit to decommit from UNC following Brown's dismissal. The school might expect to see more players decommit, flip or enter the transfer portal over the next few weeks. The Tar Heels have 10 committed players who are set to sign next Tuesday unless any change of heart happens.