Four-star cornerback Kenton Dopson III, a Miami commit out of Norland (FL), has booked an official visit to North Carolina for this weekend, putting his future with the Hurricanes in doubt. Dopson announced that he will definitely be in Chapel Hill for a UNC home game this season back in August.
The visit follows a steady building of Tar Heel momentum. Earlier this month it was reported that North Carolina had emerged as the program to beat for Dopson, and industry insiders, such as Steve Wiltfong, logged flip predictions. Dopson plans to reclass to 2026 (from Class of 2027) and while the Hurricanes have reportedly given him the green light, he might not be sold on Miami.
@UNCFootball 💯 pic.twitter.com/wH5MecqalJ
— Kenton Dopson III (@5starr_tre) September 5, 2025
The Rivals/On3 Industry board lists the 6-foot-0, 185-pound Dopson as the No. 6 cornerback nationally, No. 6 prospect in Florida, and No. 44 overall in the 2027 class. 247Sports likewise has him as a national top-250 four-star. He committed to Miami on March 13, 2025, over offers that included Georgia, Penn State, Auburn and Florida State, among others.
Why UNC might be interesting for Dopson
Bill Belichick is now North Carolina’s head coach, and the staff’s NFL-leaning pitch has already produced a headline reclass in the past cycle: four-star RB Jaylen McGill moved from the 2026 class to enroll in 2025. That could be attractive to Dopson as reports lean towards him wanting to reclass to 2026. UNC’s 2026 class is also nationally ranked No. 18 in the On3/Rivals Industry team standings.
Miami is still in the race
While it appears like Miami is losing ground, Mario Cristobal and company have kept open lines on the reclass conversation. The Canes seem comfortable with the long-term fit, and despite already having multiple CB's already committed in 2026, they would welcome Dopson into the program a year early.