A Year After Becoming Bill Belichick's First Recruit, North Carolina Quarterback Bryce Baker Will Likely Be Playing Elsewhere Next Season. 

Even though the transfer portal doesn't officially open until Jan. 2, UNC football players are already beginning to announce their departures from the program.

The early outgoing names include key contributors — such as receiver Chris Culliver and linebacker Khmori House — and the writing is on the wall for freshman quarterback Bryce Baker to join them in the portal.

This is just one year after Baker was the prized recruit of the Tar Heels' recruiting class. He was a local, four-star prospect from Kernersville (East Forsyth HS) and was Bill Belichick's first high-school commitment after accepting the UNC job. 

Once Baker signed his letter of intent, he was brought onto the court at a Tar Heel basketball game and even allowed the opportunity to give a brief address to the large Smith Center crowd. But 12 months later, Belichick no longer seems invested in Baker's future.

"This is really our first recruiting class," Belichick opened Wednesday's signing-day press conference by stating. "Last year was after the signing day, so it was a completely different situation, procedure and process."

Included among UNC's 39-player signing class is four-star quarterback Travis Burgess from the state of Georgia.

It also seemed telling that Baker didn't play a single snap — even with the relaxed rules that allow players to participate in four games and still retain a red-shirt season – during his entire freshman season in Chapel Hill. And there were plenty of opportunities to get him into a game, too.

There's no better example of this than last weekend in Raleigh. At this point, the Tar Heels were disqualified from bowl eligibility. Also, the score quickly got out of hand, especially when starter Gio Lopez left the game with an injury.

However, rather than allow Baker to make his collegiate debut, Belichick instead called on fellow freshman quarterback Au'Tori Newkirk to enter the game for his second appearance of the season.

In terms of potential landing spots for Baker, he received offers from all four of the Big 4, in-state programs. He visited Penn State while James Franklin, who is now at Virginia Tech, was there. The Hokies also had offered him as well.