Several contenders vie for the Tar Heels' starting job, with transfers like Billy Edwards and Taron Dickens generating buzz. North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick keeps his choice under wraps.
North Carolina needed better quarterback play after the team finished with a 4-8 record in Bill Belichick's first season leading the program.
Gio Lopez transferred to Wake Forest after throwing for 1,747 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions for the Tar Heels last season.
UNC's quarterback competition will not be without a lot of contenders for 2026. Travis Burgess, Taron Dickens, Billy Edwards Jr., Au’Tori Newkirk, and Miles O’Neill are all fighting for a spot on the quarterback depth chart.
Paul Myerberg of USA Today suggested Edwards could get the nod after he transferred from Wisconsin, though it's anyone's guess what will happen as Belichick is keeping the quarterback battle under wraps.
"They could roll with Dickens, who put up jaw-dropping numbers at Western Carolina before transferring to Chapel Hill in February. O’Neill looks the part at 6-5 and 220 pounds but needs more seasoning after getting into seven games at Texas A&M as a redshirt freshman in 2025," Myerberg wrote.
"Newkirk is the only UNC quarterback returning from last season, which probably means nothing. Burgess arrives on campus as a true freshman and is buried on the depth chart, though that could quickly change if the Tar Heels’ season runs off the rails. Anyone who saw Belichick’s debut knows that’s a possibility."
Myerberg thinks Edwards would also fit well with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. One issue with Edwards is that he's coming off a knee injury.
UNC will need to use training camp this summer to get the position right for the upcoming season. There will be plenty of pressure on this staff to have a much better season in 2026.
While the Tar Heels might not be competing for the ACC championship this season, the program should have a winning record and go to a decent bowl game if Belichick can develop a promising transfer class.
The national media thinks that Edwards is in the driver's seat to earn the No. 1 job. He should be the favorite heading into the summer.
With that being said, UNC isn't likely to go with a predetermined favorite. The eventual QB1 will have earned the job.