North Carolina’s 2025 season left plenty of people wanting a reset, but the Tar Heels do have one area that could steady the ship: the defensive front. After a 4-8 finish in Bill Belichick’s first year, UNC enters 2026 with a defense that kept enough pieces in place to at least make the conversation interesting.
The headliner remains All-ACC pass rusher Melkart Abou-Jaoude, but two other names loom just as large for what this group can become: Leroy Jackson and Isaiah Johnson. In a year where the Tar Heels added a lot through the transfer portal, especially on offense, the defensive line’s value comes from continuity and the kind of body types that can change how a run defense holds up snap after snap.
Jackson looks built for the dirty work. His size and leverage give him a chance to control the line of scrimmage in a one- and one-and-a-half-gap system, and as a redshirt sophomore he still has room to grow into the role. He profiles more as a run defender right now, the kind of lineman who can make life harder between the tackles and help anchor the front.
Johnson brings a different kind of punch. At 6-foot-2 and 320 pounds, he produced seven pressures and two sacks, and he enters his redshirt senior season with a chance to build on that production. He has the tools to affect the pocket with move sets as a pass rusher, while also bringing power against the run.
That combination matters for a team trying to turn a corner. A defensive line that can hold up in the trenches changes everything, and UNC appears to have a steady group there heading into 2026. Jackson and Johnson may not be the flashiest names on the roster, but they could be two of the most important.
If the Tar Heels get to six wins, the defense will have to carry a major share of the load. And if that happens, this front - with Jackson and Johnson in the middle of it - is likely to be a big reason why. Week 0 in Ireland will offer the first look at whether that promise starts turning into production.
In Other News...
RJ Davis Just Got Another Chance UNC Fans Need To See
RJ Davis first pro season gave him a strong foothold in the G League, where he turned in a productive rookie year for South Bay and picked up All-NBA G League Rookie Team honors along the way. The former North Carolina guard also earned a spot in the NBA G League Next Up Game, a sign that his game translated quickly after college and that he made enough of an impression to keep himself in the conversation.
Now he is getting another Summer League run, and this one comes with a little more intrigue than expected. The Spurs announced their roster with Davis on it, a move that caught some attention because many had assumed he would stay in the Lakers organization, and it gives UNC fans another chance to track how his game keeps evolving against NBA-level competition. [Read more 🡒]
UNCs Offensive Reset Hinges On One Identity Shift Fans Need To See
North Carolinas offensive overhaul has been building since the Tar Heels went looking for answers after last seasons struggles, and the biggest change may be the one most tied to identity. Bobby Petrino is in as offensive coordinator, the roster has been reinforced through the transfer portal at key spots, and the expectation is that the offense will be far more grounded in the run game than it has been in recent memory.
That shift points directly to a backfield that could define how far the reset goes, with Demon June, Benjamin Hall and transfer Kaleb Jackson positioned to share the load. If the Tar Heels are going to get the kind of improvement they want in 2026, it likely starts with those backs and a scheme built to lean on them, but the real question is how quickly all the new pieces can turn that plan into something opponents have to respect. [Read more 🡒]
Former Tar Heel Garrison Brooks Lands His Next Overseas Opportunity
Former North Carolina big man Garrison Brooks is set for another stop overseas, continuing a pro career that has taken him well beyond Chapel Hill. After his college days with the Tar Heels, Brooks has spent time in the NBA G League and in Lithuania, building a path that has kept him active across multiple levels of the game.
Japan will now remain part of that journey, with Brooks moving into his second season competing there after a run with the Chiba Jets. For a player who has already shown a willingness to adapt from one league to the next, the next chapter keeps him in a familiar region and gives him another chance to settle in with a new club. [Read more 🡒]