North Carolina football roster under Bill Belichick: Transfer portal, recruiting, personnel news by UNC insiders

When Bill Belichick wasn't hired as a head coach in the NFL coaching cycle last offseason, many expected him to take a year off before returning to lead a team from the sidelines. However, few would have guessed 12 months ago that his next coaching job would come in college football, when Belichick accepted the head coaching position for the North Carolina football team and was introduced on December 12. No other college football coach can boast a resume like Belichick and his six Super Bowl rings as a head coach, so how much weight should North Carolina football fans expect to carry in recruiting and transferring North Carolina portal players who may not have been born yet Belichick and Tom Brady won their first Lombardi Trophy?

Belichick said he is focused on building a roster before finalizing the North Carolina football team's coaching staff. So what are the attributes the 72-year-old coach will look for as he builds the North Carolina football team's 2025 roster? Belichick has always been considered a strict coach, so players entering the UNC football program need thick skin. If you want the latest UNC football news now that Belichick is in charge of the Tar Heels, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at InsideCarolina, the 247Sports affiliate covering UNC.

The InsideCarolina insiders have been breaking the news in this search for weeks, providing on-the-ground updates on every development surrounding Belichick and the future of the UNC football program, including insights from Adam Smith, Evans Rogers and Buck Sanders, who have deep-rooted ties within and around the UNC community. Get the inside scoop on the football program, plus VIP information on UNC football, basketball, recruiting and more. Plus, you'll get access to The Tar Pit and UNC Basketball's premium message boards, where you can connect with other UNC fans and insiders.

And right now, InsideCarolina is offering 50% off annual subscriptions*, so now it's time to sign up. The InsideCarolina team has all the latest news on all of Belichick's moves. Head over to InsideCarolina now to see them all.

North Carolina Football Roster News

Christo Kelly, an offensive lineman from Holy Cross, is the first official transfer portal commitment for Belichick in North Carolina. Kelly, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman, is playing his sixth college season and has started each of his last three years for Holy Cross. Kelly played exclusively at center last season and Belichick and Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi have spoken publicly about the importance of building the offensive line and Kelly should be a key part of next year's unit.

North Carolina has been active in the transfer portal and will be adding more talent in the coming days. While many college coaches and executives in the NIL era are dealing with money negotiations in recruiting for the first time, Belichick and Lombardi have experience budgeting their payrolls with the Patriots. That could benefit them over other college football programs dealing with this for the first time.

Belichick's reputation wasn't enough to keep Omarion Hampton in college, as the running back officially stated before the NFL Draft. The dynamic back rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, allowing North Carolina to target a top running back from the 2024 college football transfer portal.Get more UNC football roster updates on InsideCarolina.

How to get insider UNC football updates

The InsideCarolina team brings timely updates on the transfer portal's latest targets, how Belichick's hiring affects recruiting and news on which coaches will join Belichick in Chapel Hill. You can only get it all at InsideCarolina.

Who is UNC targeting in the transfer portal, and what will Belichick's first hires at UNC look like? Visit InsideCarolina for the latest UNC football news, all from a team of dialed-in UNC insidersand find out.

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