Did Beau Atkinson drop a little shade on UNC or is he just excited about his new home, Ohio State? Maybe it was a little bit of both.
It's hard to say what the 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive end meant when he told Eleven Warriors that he wanted to take his game to a higher level.
Beau Atkinson transferred to Ohio State because he wanted to play at the highest level of college football and because of how he thinks Larry Johnson can develop him. https://t.co/lfbPSgfwMK pic.twitter.com/05AdOjOvqU
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) July 19, 2025
“I think just the level of play that everybody's here...[Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson], obviously one of the best D-line coaches of all-time," Atkinson said. "So just trying to be developed as best as I can possibly be,”
Atkinson became one of the top players in the transfer portal when he decided to leave North Carolina. He was one of the defensive leaders for the Tar Heels last season with 12 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Atkinson, from Raleigh, had 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in a 35-11 win over Florida State and was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
Omarion Hampton 🤝 ACC RB of the Week
— Jacob Turner (@JacobTurnerTHI) November 4, 2024
Beau Atkinson 🤝 ACC DL of the Week
Hampton finished with 265 all-purpose yards and 5 TDs in #UNC’s win over FSU while Atkinson racked up 3.5 sacks and 4.5 TFL.
No one is going to argue with Atkinson about Ohio State's ability to produce NFL talent at defensive end. Over the past decade, Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa and Chase Young have all been drafted in the first round. This past draft saw two more Buckeyes: J.T. Tuimoloau selected in the second round and Jack Sawyer picked in the fourth.
So yeah, I get why Atkinson would find Ohio State appealing based on that record. Plus, if we're being completely honest here, the Buckeyes are closer to contending for a championship than UNC in its first year under Belichick.
But Atkinson had the chance to learn under BILL BELICHICK, one of the greatest defensive minds in football. A six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and the guy that coached the greatest football player to ever come from the UNC program and arguably the greatest defensive player in NFL history, Lawrence Taylor
No disrespect to Larry Johnson at all. He's been one of the best defensive line coaches in college football for a long time. But Belichick is one of the best coaches to ever walk the sidelines of the NFL. If Atkinson wants to say that Ohio State gives him a better chance to compete for a championship, there's no question. But to suggest that he'll develop better and become more prepared for the NFLat Ohio State than under Belichick at UNC isn't just false, it's laughable.