For elite college football coaches like Indiana's Curt Cignetti or Ohio State's Ryan Day, this year's NFL Draft was effectively an infomercial for their respective programs.
Top Recruits Witness Success
Top recruits deciding on their future schools got to see Hoosier quarterback Fernando Mendoza go first overall followed by seven Indiana teammates, while four Buckeyes were among the first 11 picks on Thursday night.
Bill Belichick and North Carolina, on the other hand, were conspicuously absent from ESPN and NFL Network's draft-week programming. While several undrafted Tar Heels players have since signed with NFL teams in hopes of making the 53-man roster this season, not one UNC product was picked over the draft's seven rounds.
A Remarkable Turnaround
That's remarkable considering the impact the program had on recent drafts under former coach Mack Brown. Drake Maye, a legacy and North Carolina's favorite son, played for the Tar Heels before being taken third overall by the New England Patriots in 2024. And just last year, Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton was picked 22nd overall by the Los Angeles Chargers.
In fact, North Carolina has produced NFL Draft picks every year dating back to 2015 and 2016, but decided to turn to Belichick, an eight-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots and Giants, to turn Chapel Hill into a football hotbed.
Mixed Results for Undrafted Players
Interestingly, Jordan Hudson went undrafted before signing with the Dallas Cowboys. But rather than Belichick's younger girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, this Jordan is actually a former SMU receiver who has no connection to the North Carolina football program.
UNC football general manager Mike Lombardi, a long-time friend and colleague of Belichick's, went so far as to dub the Tar Heels program as the NFL's '33rd team.' But as several critics pointed out on social media, the league's 32 teams wanted little to do with the Tar Heels' Class of 2026.
But the news wasn't all bad for Belichick and the Tar Heels players. Cornerback Thaddeus Dixon signed with the Giants after the draft, while the Rams added UNC offensive linemen Austin Blaske and Chad Linberg. Cornerback Marcus Allen (no relation to the Hall of Famer) is on his way from Chapel Hill to the Minnesota Vikings.
Looking Ahead
As for UNC's immediate future, things are looking up. Belichick recruited the country's 21st-ranked class, according to 247Sports, thanks to commitments from four-star quarterback Travis Burgess and four-star receiver C.J. Sadler.
Following Belichick's 4-8 debut season in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels will open the 2026 season on August 29 against TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
