Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels are pursuing a massive pass rusher.
One area in which the North Carolina Tar Heels were actually decent this past season was in getting to opposing quarterbacks, as they finished fourth in the ACC with 32 sacks.
However, one of North Carolina's top pass rushers, Tyler Thompson, departed Chapel Hill via the transfer portal this winter.
The Tar Heels were able to re-sign defensive end Melkart Abou-Jaoude, who led the team with 10.5 sacks in 2025. That was huge. But outside of Abou-Jaoude, there are major question marks on the edge next season. That applies to the future, as well.
However, UNC is zeroing in on four-star 2027 edge rusher Mekai Brown, having made an offer to the Greenwich, Ct. product this week. Brown announced the news on social media.
Brown is the sixth-ranked edge rusher and the 57th-ranked player nationally in his class, via 247 Sports' composite rankings. He is also the top-ranked player in the state of Connecticut.
What makes Brown unique is his frame. The star defender stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 230 pounds, making him an absolute nightmare in passing lanes.
Brown has received offers from 23 programs in total, so North Carolina is facing heavy competition in its quest to land his services.
North Carolina Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick. Credit: Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.Among the teams that have offered Brown include Georgia, Indiana, Ohio State and Penn State. At the moment, though, Rutgers is the surprising favorite to nab him.
The Tar Heels went just 4-8 in Bill Belichick's debut campaign this past year, suffering a handful of embarrassing blowout losses to boot.
Belichick accepted the UNC head-coaching job last December, his first foray into college coaching. For that reason, the 73-year-old needs time to adapt.
To Belichick's credit, he has assembled a top-20 recruiting class for 2026, although his efficiency in the transfer portal this winter has been rather questionable.
North Carolina has secured commitments from 16 players in the portal, but it has also watched 28 of its players decide to head elsewhere.
The Tar Heels have come in at No. 54 in On 3's transfer portal ranking and are just 13th in the ACC, posting a minus-12 index score.
We'll see if UNC can show some progress in Belichick's second season next fall.