UNC 4-star football recruiting target chooses Virginia Tech over the weekend

It’s not uncommon to see student-athletes play multiple sports in high school, but it’s rare to see the same in college.

The North Carolina Tar Heels were lucky to have a legendary 2-sport athlete in Julius Peppers , the Pro Football Hall of Famer who played both football and basketball. UNC currently has Kaleb Cost , who’s a defensive back on the football squad and outfielder for the baseball program.

North Carolina was also linked to another 2-sport athlete in the class of 2025, Shamarius Peterkin, the 6’2″ wide receiver who plays basketball and football for Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, NC.

Peterkin listed the Tar Heels, NC State and Virginia Tech as his three recruiting finalists. Peterkin also made a decision over the weekend – and sadly, it doesn’t include UNC.

On Friday, Aug. 16, Peterkin committed to the Hokies in the recruiting portal. This came as a surprise to many, who thought Peterkin would stay in-state for his next chapter.

North Carolina’s men’s basketball program wasn’t going to allow Peterkin to play both basketball and football, but Virginia Tech was, a major factor into his decision.

Peterkin’s out-of-state commitment isn’t a huge loss for North Carolina, who already has 14 Class of 2025 commits, including one from 3-star wide receiver Evan Haynes. If Peterkin had committed to UNC, though, he’d mark the Tar Heels’ fourth 4-star commit.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.