North Carolina’s training camp opens today, and with Week 1 of the 2026-27 college football season now less than a month away, the Tar Heels are finally moving from buildup to evaluation mode.
That makes this a crucial stretch for a few players who look ready to make noise. Three names stand out as breakout candidates once camp gets rolling.
June is one of them. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound running back logged only 84 carries in 2025, but that number should climb with a bigger role on the way.
He averaged 5.5 yards per carry in limited work, and with more chances in both the running and passing game, the sophomore is positioned to become a major part of the offense. Earlier this offseason, wide receiver Jordan Shipp was asked which player he thought would make a leap this year, and June was the answer.
Harvey is another player worth watching. North Carolina brought in the former Penn State pass rusher through the transfer portal, banking on the upside that comes with a 6-foot-2, 246-pound edge defender.
His 2025 production was modest - nine tackles and one sack - but the ceiling is obvious if he sharpens his pass-rush tools and proves he can hold up against the run. Redshirt sophomore or not, he has a real chance to push for a starting job in camp, and his athleticism could make it hard to keep him buried on the depth chart.
Then there’s the quarterback battle, where Billy Edwards Jr. is the favorite but not the only name in the mix. Burgess, and even Miles O'Neill, could still end up under center in Week 1.
Burgess brings serious arm talent and more than enough athletic ability to create explosive plays when the offense breaks down. That kind of ability should show up in camp, and if he can keep the offense on schedule while still delivering those splash moments, the incoming freshman could win the job right away.
In Other News...
Hubert Davis Just Sparked The Next Big UNC Coaching Debate
Hubert Davis exit at North Carolina has already turned into one of the more intriguing offseason storylines around the program, not just because of what it means for the Tar Heels, but because of what comes next for the coach himself. Davis is no longer leading UNC, and the conversation around him has quickly shifted from the job he just held to the one he may be ready to chase again.
According to Matt Norlander, Davis is eager to get back into college basketball coaching in the upcoming cycle, and he has made clear he wants another head coaching opportunity. He also expressed gratitude for his time in Chapel Hill, which leaves the next chapter open but very much in motion as the coaching market starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Got Overlooked Again And One Snub Will Infuriate Fans
The ACCs 2026 preseason football team brought another reminder of where North Carolina stands in the leagues eyes: nowhere on the list. For the second straight year, the Tar Heels were shut out entirely, a familiar slight for a program trying to change the conversation heading into a new season.
The omission that will sting most in Chapel Hill is on the defensive line, where one of UNCs most productive players from last fall was left off despite earning second-team all-conference recognition a year ago. He finished 2025 with 10.5 sacks and delivered multiple disruptive games against Virginia, Syracuse and Stanford, but the preseason nod never came, adding to the sense that the Tar Heels are entering 2026 with little external respect and even less margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Malone Is Bringing Back Something UNC Fans Felt Was Missing
John Hensons latest comments on a podcast added a little more texture to UNCs offseason under Michael Malone, and it sounds like one of the first things the new coach has tried to do is reopen the door to the programs former players. Henson said Malone has been making a point to reconnect with alumni and restore the kind of Carolina family feel that has long been part of the Tar Heels identity, with the reunion atmosphere around the program already starting to take shape.
For a fan base that has always valued its ties to past teams, that matters almost as much as anything happening on the floor. Henson also made it clear that this is not just lip service, since UNC is set to hold a Carolina family reunion this year, a sign that Malone is leaning into the broader culture around the program as he settles in. After a stretch in which that connection felt less central than it once did, the shift is hard for Tar Heels fans to miss. [Read more 🡒]