4-star recruit Patrice Rene flips from Rutgers to North Carolina

Four-star defensive back Patrice Rene announced Tuesday that he is no longer committed to Rutgers, but followed up his decision by announcing his commitment to North Carolina.

The loss of Rene is a major blow to the Scarlet Knights and new head coach Chris Ash. He was Rutgers' top-ranked commit, and the only four-star recruit on the school's commitment list.

Ash's loss is Larry Fedora's gain, as Rene is the Tar Heels' fifth four-star recruit in the class of 2016.

Rene, who hails from Alexandria, Va., had been on the radar of several Big Ten programs, including Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Maryland.