Key players for Bill Belichick in UNC football 2026 recruiting class

UNC football coach Bill Belichick says the Tar Heels ’ 2026 recruiting class “will be a foundation for our program.”

Ranked 12th by ESPN and No. 17 in the 247Sports Composite, the Tar Heels’ 2026 class includes 39 players, some of whom will be expected to immediately contribute in Belichick’s second season.

Of the 39 signees, all but three will enroll in January to begin practicing with the team during the spring. Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi announced the class on Dec. 3, the first day of the early signing period.

“They will be a foundation for our program. They represent, really the values that we stand for, at least the way we feel at this time. That’s why we recruited those players, and it really transcends the entire football team,” Belichick said inside the Kenan