North Carolina Tar Heels NFL Draft Prospects

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North Carolina Tar Heels 2026 Season Preview: Belichick Reloads Around Petrino's Offense and a Veteran Front

North Carolina's grand experiment stumbled out of the gate. Bill Belichick's debut in Chapel Hill fizzled into a 4-8 finish (2-6 ACC), a whimper of a season in which the offense was the primary culprit but the defense carried plenty of blemishes of its own. The Tar Heels scored just 19.3 points per game and ranked near the bottom of the country in total offense, and the roster was gutted by portal departures once the losing was over. The response was aggressive. Belichick handed the offense to new coordinator Bobby Petrino, one of the sport's most accomplished offensive minds, and rebuilt the depth chart through the transfer market. Son Steve Belichick returns to run a defense that quietly held opponents well below their scoring averages even amid the struggles.

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RANK	Player	Pos	Coll	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
288	Jelani Thurman	TE		250lbs	6-6	4.75	15	521	72.0 MORE>>	Signed by Ohio State as a four-star recruit, Thurman caught 39 passes for 624 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games as a senior at L...
317	Kaleb Jackson	RB		234lbs	6-0	4.43	31	536	67.3 MORE>>	As a freshman in 2023, Jackson ran for 165 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries for LSU, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt and sc...

RANK	Player	Pos	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
228	Thaddeus Dixon	CB	195lbs	6-1	4.46	54	207	80.2 MORE>>	Thaddeus Dixon bounced between Paramount High and La Mirada High during his prep years, and when the recruiting process wrapped up...
309	Shamar Easter	TE	215lbs	6-5	4.58	30	309	77.0 MORE>>	The state of Arkansas hasn't produced many elite tight end prospects in recent years, but Shamar Easter broke that mold when he bu...
342	Marcus Allen	CB	187lbs	6-2	4.50	86	317.8	75.0 MORE>>
439	Chad Lindberg	C	315lbs	6-6	5.15	104	563	70.0 MORE>>	Chad Lindberg from Clear Creek High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. Following ...

RANK	Player	Pos	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
30	Omarion Hampton	RB	220lbs	6-0	4.46	2	30.1	87.3 MORE>>	Born in Clayton, North Carolina, Hampton's path to becoming one of college football's premier backs began at Cleveland High School...
155	Kaimon Rucker	DE	265lbs	6-2	4.79	49	202	82.0 MORE>>	The Tar Heel terror from Hart County, Georgia has been wreaking havoc in ACC backfields since stepping foot on campus in Chapel Hi...
181	Willie Lampkin	OG	290lbs	5-11	5.20	35	184.3	80.6 MORE>>	Willie Lampkin the 5'10", 270-pound interior offensive lineman began his collegiate career as a day-one starter at Coastal Carolin...
226	Alijah Huzzie	CB	193lbs	5-10	4.55	51	213.3	78.7 MORE>>	Alijah Huzzie's path to the NFL draft exemplifies the modern transfer portal success story. After establishing himself as one ...
278	Jahvaree Ritzie	DL	290lbs	6-4	4.95	75	318.7	76.2 MORE>>	Born in Kernersville, North Carolina, Jahvaree Ritzie arrived at Chapel Hill as a highly touted four-star recruit who ranked 71s...
285	Bryson Nesbit	TE	235lbs	6-5	4.88	21	303.4	76.0 MORE>>	Bryson Nesbit, a WR/TE from South Mecklenburg High School, emerged as a four-star prospect. He began playing footbal...
362	Power Echols	LB	225lbs	6-0	4.73	42	334.3	73.7 MORE>>	Power Echols established himself as a key defensive playmaker for the North Carolina Tar Heels, earning Third-Team All-ACC honors ...
405	Desmond Evans	DL	270lbs	6-6	4.90	97	502	70.0 MORE>>	Desmond Evans from Lee County High School was rated a 5-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. After high ...

RANK	Player	Pos	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
7	Drake Maye	QB	223lbs	6-4	4.60	2	5.6	90.1 MORE>>	Drake Maye, the dynamic quarterback from North Carolina, has rapidly become one of the most talked-about prospects in the 2024 NFL...
84	Devontez Walker	WR	193lbs	6-2	4.36	19	74.3	84.6 MORE>>	Devontez Walker from West Charlotte High School was rated a After high school, Walker opted to join Kent State.As a sophomore in...
117	Cedric Gray	LB	234lbs	6-2	4.64	11	89.5	83.4 MORE>>	In his first year as a significant contributor as a sophomore, this former three-star recruit Cedric Gray played in 12 games on 67...
238	Myles Murphy	DL	309lbs	6-4	5.20	59	243	78.0 MORE>>	Myles Murphy, born on November 27, 2001, in Greensboro, North Carolina, emerged as a football standout from an early age. Initiall...
377	Ja'Qurious Conley	S	215lbs	6-1	4.49	90	377	72.6 MORE>>	Ja'Qurious Conley from Northside High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. Followin...
430	Armani Chatman	CB	205lbs	6-0	4.58	113	479.5	65.3 MORE>>	Armani Chatman from Catholic High School was rated a 3-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 3-star grade by 247 Sports. Following hi...