2026 NFL Draft Watch: North Carolina Tar Heels

It has been a trying year in Chapel Hill after the Bill Belichick experiment has failed to live up to expectations. Find out which Tar Heels players could hear their name called in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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NORTH CAROLINA TOP DRAFT-ELIGIBLE PROSPECTS

Location: Chapel Hill, NC || Conference: ACC || Head Coach: Bill Belichick (0 years: 0-0; Overall: 302-165 w/Browns and Patriots) || NFL Draft Picks Under Belichick: 0 (0/year) || NFL First Round Picks Under Belichick: 0 || Tar Heels in NFL: 24

It has been one heck of an interesting case study in Chapel Hill this season, often referred to ‘Chapel Bill,’ due to the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick. So what happens when you take a future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach from the NFL ranks, pair him with his former general manager in right-hand man, lieutenant Michael Lombardi and attempt to navigate the transfer portal? Well, let’s just say after bringing in over 70 new players with limited NIL money, the results have boosters questioning what’s next?

North Carolina was quick to run 73-year old Mack Brown out the door and replace him with the 73-year old Belichick. The roster has since been depleted of talent. During his second stint as Tar Heels headman (six seasons), Brown has just one losing record (2021) and guided the school to a bowl game every year except for 2024. Brown was also still able to land top recruits and produce premier NFL talent, including 2025 first round pick Omarrion Hampton (Chargers) and 2024 first round selection Drake Maye (Patriots). The Tar Heels are not expected to have any top-rated prospects for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. However, they could see several players land in the mid-to-late rounds.

Keep reading for our in-depth prospect breakdown for the top North Carolina draft-eligible prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, featuring 15 scouting reports, complete with verified measurements, background reports, insider intel and projections.

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