College football’s transfer portal officially opens Friday, Jan. 2, and UNC will likely be busy via the portal ahead of Bill Belichick’s second season.
Following a 4-8 record in Belichick’s debut season, the Tar Heels are set to welcome 39 freshmen to the 2026 roster. But graduation losses and exits via the portal mean UNC will need to fill out its roster with additions through college football’s version of free agency.
The portal opens Jan. 2 and closes Jan. 16. That two-week period is the only open window for the portal in 2026. Here are the Tar Heels’ biggest areas of need.
UNC football transfer portal needs
Here are five positions the Tar Heels need to address ahead of the 2026 season.
Offensive line
The Tar Heels are losing more than 3,000 snaps along their offensive line, with Aidan Banfield set to be the only notable returner in the trenches for the Tar Heels. In addition to graduation losses of several starters, UNC is expected to lose Trevyon Green, William Boone, Jani Norwood and Miles McVay to the portal. If UNC wants any chance at a bounce-back season, it has to add quality pieces along the offensive line.
Tight end
The Tar Heels added some notable freshmen at the position, including Carson Sneed, but Belichick needs a few veterans in the room to improve the overall effectiveness at the position. Jake Johnson has some success at the position, but he’s expected to enter the transfer portal. UNC desperately needs to find some quality blocking and pass-catching from a tight end in the portal.
Linebacker
Khmori House is entering the transfer portal and Andrew Simpson has exhausted his eligibility, leaving the Tar Heels without their top two linebackers from the 2025 season. Mikai Gbayor, another player in the linebacker rotation, also maxed out his eligibility. With those exits, Belichick has to get some reliability at the position and find someone capable of leading the defense as a signal-caller.
Quarterback
The Tar Heels seem committed to Gio Lopez, have been pleased with Au’Tori Newkirk and are excited about the arrival of freshman Travis Burgess. But UNC would be wise to add another veteran to the QB room. Lopez might be the clear starter for Belichick, but quality competition alongside UNC’s second-year QB could improve the offense’s situation in 2026.
Running back
Demon June and Benjamin Hall are a solid duo if they choose to return for the Tar Heels, but UNC needs to add another back to help improve its pass blocking. A clear area of weakness last season, the ineffectiveness of pass-blocking running backs cost the offense in several critical situations. There’s talent in the room, but a better blocker could tremendously raise the potential of the offense.
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to [email protected].
