Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels could have a surprising solution at quarterback this season.
Last year, the North Carolina Tar Heels dipped into the transfer portal to find their quarterback, landing Gio Lopez.
Needless to say, it didn't work out, and Lopez transferred out of North Carolina after just one subpar season.
Once again, Bill Belichick has hit the portal to try and discover an answer under center, and this time, he nabbed a pair of quarterbacks: Billy Edwards and Miles O'Neill.
Edwards is expected to be the starter next season given that he had experience as a starter at Maryland back in 2024 before leaving for Wisconsin, where he spent just one campaign and threw 16 passes.
But it's not like Edwards should have a firm hold on the job.
It's entirely possible that the Tar Heels' quarterback solution could come from an unexpected source, and it's very hard to discount O'Neill in that capacity.
O'Neill spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Texas A&M, where he went 12-for-20 with 171 yards, a couple of touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.
Obviously, the former three-star recruit does not have a whole lot of skin in the game, but he is a rather intriguing option.
Miles O'Neill. Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images.Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 220 pounds, O'Neill — who will be a redshirt sophomore in 2026 — has tremendous size for the position and possesses incredible arm strength.
And while he may not be a true dual threat in the modern sense of the term, he is certainly athletic enough to evade pressure in the pocket and make plays on the run.
Yes, Edwards is the clear favorite to begin next season as UNC's starting signal-caller, but don't think for a second that O'Neill cannot eventually usurp him.
Edwards was far from impressive with the Terrapins in 2024, throwing for 2,881 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine picks. There is a reason why he didn't start at Wisconsin last season, and heh as been mostly pedestrian whenever he has taken the field throughout his collegiate career.
Not that O'Neill has really shown anything himself, but he is definitely the more compelling talent from a physical archetype perspective, and he has more room to grow than Edwards, who is about to become a fifth-year senior.
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