One of the biggest reasons the UNC football program decided to take the plunge with NFL legend Bill Belichick was the allure he'd have with recruits. Top players who may never have considered UNC would have to add Chapel Hill to their official visit list just to hear how Belichick could put them in the NFL pipeline.
It seems that concept is already taking root.
The No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2026, Nashville Christian's quarterback Jared Curtis, has already said that he wants to see what North Carolina is all about.
2026 No. 1 QB Jared Curtis shared his thoughts on North Carolina hiring six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick👀
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) December 12, 2024
“Arguably the greatest coach of all time. Definitely want to get up there and meet him!”
Read: https://t.co/UAIxCDp1mR pic.twitter.com/rsa9CN45KZ
Curtis is the No. 4 overall recruit in the Class of 2026 and the No. 1 quarterback, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings. He has prototypical size at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, comparable to another UNC quarterback by the name of Drake Maye.
It will be tough to land this talented signal-caller, as he is already being recruited hard by SEC powerhouses, including Georgia and Alabama. But with Belichick in-house and an increased NIL budget, don't count out the Tar Heels.