The North Carolina Tar Heels are officially in the thick of a high-profile recruiting battle - and that alone speaks volumes about how quickly things are changing in Chapel Hill.
Despite a rough 4-8 start to Bill Belichick’s tenure, the presence of the eight-time Super Bowl champion is already starting to reshape the Tar Heels’ recruiting footprint. The proof? Their 2026 recruiting class currently ranks inside the nation’s top 20, a significant jump that shows Belichick’s name - and vision - is carrying weight with high school talent.
Now, UNC is pushing into territory it hasn’t seen in a long time: going head-to-head with college football’s elite for blue-chip prospects.
One of those battles is for Joseph Buchanan, a four-star defensive lineman in the 2027 class who just named North Carolina as one of his final four schools. The other three?
Indiana, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. That’s rare air for the Tar Heels, who haven’t often found themselves in the same recruiting tier as the Buckeyes or the Fighting Irish, especially for a player of Buchanan’s caliber.
Buchanan, a Maryland native, is ranked as the No. 21 defensive lineman and the No. 177 overall prospect in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, he brings the kind of frame and athleticism that can anchor a defensive front - and he’s clearly paying attention to what’s happening in Chapel Hill.
“UNC was a childhood dream school for me,” Buchanan said. “Coach [Bob] Diaco has turned the DL room around.
They play hard and pressure the quarterback. Coach [Andrew] Blaylock has been great at maintaining consistent communication too.”
That kind of feedback is exactly what North Carolina fans should want to hear. Diaco’s impact on the defensive line is already resonating with recruits, and Blaylock’s ability to build relationships is helping UNC stay in the mix with programs that have traditionally dominated the recruiting trail.
And then there’s Belichick.
“For me, it’s about where I’ll have the most impact,” Buchanan added. “Football culture is big for me.”
That’s where Belichick’s presence looms largest. Say what you will about his NFL record, but one thing he’s always done - whether in New England or now in Chapel Hill - is establish a clear, demanding, and winning football culture.
It’s not just about schemes and X’s and O’s. It’s about identity.
And that’s something players like Buchanan are clearly drawn to.
Of course, Belichick still has plenty of work ahead. The 2025 season didn’t go the way anyone hoped, and turning around a program doesn’t happen overnight - even for a coach with six Super Bowl rings as a head man and two more as a coordinator.
But the early signs are promising. North Carolina is back in the conversation with some of the sport’s biggest names, and that’s not something we’ve been able to say in a while.
If Belichick can close on players like Buchanan, it won’t just be about competing for recruits. It’ll be about competing for championships.