North Carolina’s defense enters the new season with the kind of shape that usually travels well: a strong front, a proven edge threat, and one interior piece that could decide how far the whole thing goes.
That piece is Leroy Jackson.
The 6-foot-1, 290-pound defensive tackle is heading into his third year in Chapel Hill, and the Tar Heels need more from him after an underwhelming showing in the middle of the line. North Carolina already knows what it has on the edge with Melkart Abou Jaoude, who piled up 10.5 sacks in 2025 and ranked among the ACC’s best.
There’s also hope that Jaylen Harvey grows into a steady pass-rushing force on the opposite side. But the center of the defensive front is where the real question sits.
If Jackson can do his part and clog running lanes, the entire unit can level up.
That matters because North Carolina’s defense is expected to be the team’s strongest group again, even with a secondary that changed quite a bit this offseason. The line stayed mostly together, and that continuity gives Jackson a clear chance to make his presence felt. If he can help shut down the run and create cleaner paths for the players coming off the edge, the Tar Heels could end up with one of the ACC’s most complete defensive lines.
Jackson spoke about his offseason work during a press conference last week, touching on several topics and what he’s focused on improving. The timing is right, too, with North Carolina less than three weeks from opening the regular season against TCU in Dublin, Ireland. It will be the second straight year the Tar Heels begin against the Horned Frogs.
For North Carolina, the formula is pretty simple. The edge rush can cause problems.
The secondary has been reshaped. But if opponents can still move the ball on the ground, it takes some of the sting out of everything else.
That’s why Jackson looms so large.
He’s the returning interior lineman who has to anchor the middle, and his role carries more weight than most because he plays on defense. If he delivers, the Tar Heels’ front can look like a real strength from top to bottom.
In Other News...
Seth Trimble Could Still Create An Awkward ACC Problem For UNC
Seth Trimbles next move is still unsettled, but the possibility of him taking advantage of an additional year of eligibility has already started to ripple through the ACC. The former UNC guard spent four seasons in Chapel Hill and, if he is able to play again in 2026-27, he would bring a familiar face and a proven backcourt presence back onto the market at a time when teams are always looking for experienced help.
A few programs are keeping close tabs on the situation, and the uncertainty is part of what makes it so tricky for Carolina to sort out from a distance. Trimbles eligibility hinges on NCAA rulings, and his previous run with the Washington Wizards in NBA Summer League only adds another layer to an already complicated process, leaving open the possibility that this quietly becomes an awkward conference headache for the Tar Heels. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Belichick Already Faces A Brutal Early Test At North Carolina
Bill Belichick arrived in Chapel Hill with the kind of name recognition that can change the temperature around a program overnight, but the work in front of him is the same kind that confronts every coach at North Carolina: turn a disappointing football team into one that can survive a demanding schedule. The Tar Heels are coming off a 4-8 season, and the expectation now is simple enough even if the path is not - show real improvement fast, or the questions will only get louder.
What makes this early stretch so uneasy is the way the football concerns have been layered with everything else around Belichicks arrival. North Carolina is already dealing with the pressure of a tough season ahead, and there are financial realities attached to any drastic move, which only raises the stakes if things go sideways again. For now, the Tar Heels are trying to keep the focus on results, because the margin for patience looks thin from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Repeat Hopes Just Got A Big Backcourt Spotlight
Sports Illustrateds early look at the best shooting guards for the 2026-27 season offers a useful snapshot of how much talent is about to reshape the backcourt picture across college basketball. The list includes familiar names in new places, like Blackwell heading to Duke, as well as players such as Mullins returning to Washington and others like Haggerty, Holt, Falslev, McKenney and Mobley, each expected to play major roles after strong recent stretches.
For North Carolina fans, one of the more relevant entries is Able, the transfer from NC State, whose arrival adds another layer to the Tar Heels perimeter expectations. The ranking doesnt just nod to his upside, it frames him as someone whose first season in Chapel Hill could carry real weight in determining how far this team goes, with the spotlight now squarely on how quickly he settles in and how big a role he can handle right away. [Read more 🡒]