2027 5-star OT Mark Matthews adds offer from North Carolina

North Carolina now has a pair of commitments in its 2027 recruiting class after landing a pledge from Raleigh (N.C.) Rolesville four-star running back Amir Brown on Sunday.

Head coach Bill Belichick and the new-look staff in Chapel Hill have shown they’ve got the recruiting chops to compete with others in the ACC and they’ll look to make a mark early with some top prospects entering their junior campaigns this fall. On Tuesday, they extended a big-time offer to one of the best in the cycle.

Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews is already a well-known name on the trail nationally, but he’s still got a ways to go before commitment time rolls around. UNC would love to be a part of those festivities when the time comes, and they’ve now offered the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder.

When speaking with Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong at the end of July, Matthews updated his process and spoke about some of the programs that have caught his eye early on. Among those in the mix so far include Florida State, Tennessee, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan.

That’s just the half of it, though. Matthews is ready to catch as many games as he can this fall and continue to get a feel for many of the national powerhouses that are already involved in his recruitment.

“Visits are FSU, LSU, Miami, Florida, Ohio State, Clemson, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and I am going to try to get out to Nebraska and Oregon,” Matthews told Wiltfong.

That’s a hefty visit list, one that UNC would love to get on. It won’t be a surprise to see Belichick and Co. keep a tab on the five-star as he gears up for a big junior season at St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the premier high school programs in the Sunshine State and beyond.

The Tar Heels kickstarted their 2027 class with a commitment from Los Angeles Junipero Serra three-star wide receiver Skylar Robinson back in February. Currently in the 2026 cycle, UNC has the nation’s No. 20 class, according to the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. A whopping 35 commits are already in the class.

Mark Matthews Scouting Summary

Rivals’ Scouting and Rankings Team writes this of Matthews, the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2027 Rivals300:

“High-upside offensive tackle prospect with top-notch physical and athletic tools for the position. Measured in at 6-foot-6 and around 280 pounds with plus length before his junior season. Added nearly 15 pounds to his frame early on in the offseason before his junior year. Has an ideal build for an offensive lineman with little bad weight and considerable mass in his lower body, helping to create a strong base. Tests as a strong athlete in the combine setting. New to football, first playing the sport as a freshman in high school. Took over the left tackle spot at South Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas as a sophomore.

…A twitchy mover with outstanding movement skills. Already flashes an effortless kick slide despite playing offensive line for less than one year. Projects as a high-end pass protector. Played defensive line as a freshman before becoming an offensive lineman. Shows impressive competitiveness in the camp setting. Has a basketball background. Will need to continue adding play strength and working on his hand placement.”