Bill Belichick lands another key offensive weapon from the transfer portal

If there’s any lesson to be learned from UNC football’s offseason, it’s that kids want to play for Head Coach Bill Belichick.

On Sunday afternoon, coach Belichick and his staff reeled in another transfer portal addition. Former Tennessee Volunteers and Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Nathan Leacock will head to Chapel Hill and play in the Carolina Argyle this season. Leacock is a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining. On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos reported on the news.

With Leacock being the newest member of UNC football, this brings North Carolina’s incoming transfer portal class up to 41 players. The Tar Heels have been on a tear in the portal ever since coach Belichick took over at the helm. According to 247Sports, North Carolina’s transfer portal class ranks No. 9 nationally — an incredibly impressive feat. The Belichick pull is very real.

Leacock to UNC was meant to be from the get-go. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound receiver is from Raleigh, North Carolina, so Belichick is bringing the in-state kid home.

Leacock was yet to play a snap for Purdue before heading to Carolina. His time with the Boilermakers was short-lived, as he transferred to Purdue this past winter, but Leacock flipped his commitment to play for coach Belichick and the Tar Heels. Leacock began his collegiate career at Tennessee. He came to the Volunteers as a high-pedigree, four-star recruit out of high school, part of the Class of 2023. According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Leacock was the No. 76 overall recruit in 2023. He’s rated as a three-star transfer by 247Sports.

Last season, as a redshirt freshman at Tennessee, Leacock appeared in just one game and made just one catch. Although Leacock’s collegiate sample size is small, his talent and potential are indisputable. Hopefully, Belichick can bring out the best of Leacock and show why he was such a highly regarded prospect coming out of high school. Welcome to Chapel Hill.