Why is Bill Belichick’s first North Carolina transfer portal class so underwhelming? It’s the ‘Patriot Way’

As college football’s 2025 transfer portal cycle works through January, the winter window is in the books with North Carolina front and center among 247Sports’ five burning questions. The Tar Heels entered Tuesday at No. 33 in the transfer portal team rankings, leaving some to wonder why Bill Belichick and company haven’t been the most aggressive. North Carolina currently has 12 incoming transfers committed or signed, with just one sporting a four-star label (linebacker Khmori House from Washington). 

Excluding a kicker take, North Carolina’s transfers have an average rating of 86.45, which points to a potential Power Four-level starter but not one with exceptional upside. It’s not quite the roster flex North Carolina fans might have been hoping for with additional investments in the program. 

Belichick has always done things his way, and he’s continuing to follow the New England Patriots model with his transfer additions by not signing the absolute best available players in the portal but more of the best program fit or what we used to call “the Patriot way.” Belichick has added toughness, proven production and depth at cornerstone positions with some players who might be diamonds in the dirt.

For instance, the Tar Heels took Christo Kelly, a center from Holy Cross with 1,584 career snaps, who is the transfer portal’s No. 174 overall player and No. 15 interior offensive lineman. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Kelly isn’t the most talented in terms of NFL upside, but he checks all the right boxes in terms of technique and polish at the center position.

Notably, too, is that none of the non-specialist transfers rank below the watermark of an 85 rating. We don’t really see any wasted takes here, though in future years the Tar Heels…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/why-is-bill-belichicks-first-transfer-portal-class-at-north-carolina-so-underwhelming/

Author : Clint Brewster

Publish date : 2025-01-07 16:55:00

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