The 2026 NFL Draft is now in the books, as the UNC football program didn't have a single player selected for the first time since 2016.
While it was disappointing that not even a single Tar Heel heard their name called, a handful of players did sign shortly after the draft concluded as undrafted free agents.
Here's a list of every publicly reported Tar Heel UDFA signing, starting with the guys who finished their college football careers in Chapel Hill:
North Carolina Tar Heels UDFAs
Marcus Allen- Minnesota Vikings
Austin Blaske- Los Angeles Rams
Thaddeus Dixon- New York Giants
Chad Lindberg- Los Angeles Rams
There were also a few former Tar Heels who ended their college careers elsewhere who have been signed as undrafted free agents by NFL squads.
Former Tar Heel UDFAs
Ja’Qurious Conley- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Diego Pounds- Baltimore Ravens
Keeshawn Silver- New Orleans Saints
While it wasn't expected that North Carolina would have many players (if any) selected, Thaddeus Dixon might be the biggest surprise in terms of guys who didn't hear their name called. Dixon had a top-30 visit with the New York Giants, so it's not a surprise to see him sign with them quickly after the draft concluded.
Los Angeles took a chance on two former Tar Heel lineman, both who feature a ton of versatility and experience. Minnesota is hoping that Marcus Allen, a guy who features the protypical size for an NFL cornerback, can be a diamond in the rough among their undrafted free agent class.
While not being drafted isn't ideal, all these former Tar Heels will have a chance to prove their value with their NFL teams and hope to defy the odds to eventually make the 53-man roster out of training camp. It would be awesome to see at least some of these guys playing football on Sundays moving forward, as there's plenty of potential from the list of players above.
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