High school senior Linebacker Dan Mastromatteo of Absecon, N.J., upon learning of UNC coach Butch Davis’ firing, decommitted to the Carolina program but earlier this month he recommitted.

High school football players may not sign binding letters of intent until February.

“I sort of overreacted,” said Mastromatteo, who decommitted two days after Davis was fired. “I was hearing a lot of things, and I needed to relax. I weighed my options and realized that North Carolina was best for me. The other coaches stayed. The program is on the rise. I still love the school. . . . The academics are great. . . . I always wanted to play in the NFL, and I see myself getting into coaching.”

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior linebacker, who also plays fullback, is ranked the 68th best high school linebacker nationally by rivals.com. He had solid offers from Rutgers and Tulane.

Other ACC teams to recruit Mastromatteo were N.C. State, Maryland and Boston College.