On March 30, 2026 3-star linebacker Mathieu Kanu released his list of six finalists, a group that included North Carolina. This came a day after the Nokesville, VA visited Chapel Hill to take in the Tar Heels' spring practice.

Kanu, who tallied 87 tackles and six tackles-for-loss for Patriot High School in 2024, was re-offered by UNC on Jan. 30 following a visit from Bill Belichick.

Following his trip to North Carolina, Kanu spoke with THI about the impressions left by the Tar Heel staff and when he hopes to shut down his recruitment.