Gavin Blackwell's new home keeps him in the Atlantic Coast Conference

Gavin Blackwell has found a new home, one that will keep him in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

After visiting campus a few days ago, Blackwell has committed to the Florida State Seminoles. The former Tar Heel will have one season of college eligibility remaining.

A former four-star recruit, Blackwell enrolled early at North Carolina, ultimately redshirting during his true freshman season in 2021. As a redshirt freshman, Blackwell burst onto the scene, recording 18 catches for 239 yards and a touchdown in 13 games played.

Following the 2022 season, the UNC football program hoped that Blackwell would build upon his solid redshirt freshman season. However, that wasn't the case, as his usage in the passing game diminished tremendously over the next two seasons.

With the coaching changes occurring in Chapel Hill, it made sense for Blackwell to explore other options in hopes of earning a bigger role offensively in his final season of eligibility. A veteran with three seasons of experience, all of which occurred in the ACC, will benefit him as he transitions to his new school.

The spring transfer portal window has seen a lot of UNC football players looking for new homes, which shouldn't be a total surprise given the changing of the guard within the program. Some good football players who joined the program to play for Mack Brown took the spring to see how they would fit with Bill Belichick's system, as you can't blame a student-athlete for pursuing other opportunities that come their way.

While plenty of familiar faces are departing Chapel Hill, the UNC football program has been working to bring in some new talents to fill the voids, as the Tar Heels will definitely have a much different look during the 2025 season.

Sometimes change is good, but we'll have to see how that change translates for Belchick and the Tar Heels in his first season leading a college football program.