The North Carolina Tar Heels have landed a major win in the transfer portal with a key defensive player.
Earlier this week, North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Greg Smith decided to enter the transfer portal, the latest blow to North Carolina's defense.
However, with just one day remaining in the portal window, Smith made a significant decision: he decided to return to Chapel Hill.
Smith withdrew his name from the transfer portal on Thursday, which is a major relief for Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels' defense.
With UNC suffering so many departures in its secondary this offseason, Smith's initial decision was viewed as a critical loss, but the fact that he is returning for 2026 should set the minds of North Carolina fans at ease.
Smith logged 25 tackles and an interception while playing in all 12 games this past season. His role is expected to increase next year.
The former four-star prospect actually began his collegiate career at Florida in 2024, but transferred to the Tar Heels after just one season.
Smith will be entering his redshirt sophomore campaign in 2026, and if he enjoys his stay at UNC next fall, he could end up becoming a leader of the defense moving forward.
North Carolina Tar Heels safety Greg Smith. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images.The 6-foot-4, 195-pound safety — who was originally a linebacker when he was first recruited — has terrific size for the position and could ultimately develop into one of the better defensive players in the ACC starting next season.
Overall, North Carolina has watched as 29 players have left the program this winter, including quarterback Gio Lopez and numerous key defenders.
The Tar Heels have, however, landed 16 players of their own in the transfer portal, although their haul has not been overly impressive.
UNC ranks just 64th in On3's transfer portal rankings, good for 16th in the ACC. Only North Carolina State has a worse mark in the conference.
Belichick went 4-8 during his debut campaign at North Carolina, a disastrous season that included a handful of blowout losses. It also marked the first year the Tar Heels didn't qualify for a bowl game since 2018.
The good news is that he has a top-20 recruiting class coming in for 2026. Hopefully, UNC's transfer additions end up being more impactful than anticipated.