Before the transfer portal even opened on January 2, there was speculation that Bill Belichick and the UNC football program could move quickly on bringing in a quarterback.
On Sunday, on the third day of the transfer portal window, the Tar Heels made that happen.
Billy Edwards Jr. commits to North Carolina
While on his visit to campus, Billy Edwards Jr. announced that he has committed to the UNC football program. He is expected to receive a medical redshirt after playing in just two games this past season at Wisconsin.
Sources: Former Wisconsin/Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. has committed to North Carolina. He's on a visit there now. https://t.co/TkVKKMEqgI
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 4, 2026
Get to know Billy Edwards Jr.
The 6-foot-3, 228-pounder has appeared in 28 games over his college career, throwing for 3,435 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also has 13 rushing touchdowns to his name, most of which have come in short-yardage situations.
Before spending last season at Wisconsin, Edwards served as Maryland's starting quarterback. During the 2024 season, Edwards completed 273 of his 440 passing attempts for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding an additional five scores with his legs. As mentioned earlier, Edwards Jr. was limited in 2025 due to injury, which is why he will have a season of eligibility to work with.
What it means for UNC
After losing depth in the quarterback room, the UNC football program has taken the first step toward addressing the need. With Gio Lopez's struggles a season ago, North Carolina needed to bring in an experienced quarterback to compete for the starting job, especially with highly-touted freshman Travis Burgess coming off a season-ending injury that ended his high school career prematurely.
The move to add Edwards Jr. isn't a splashy one by any means, but North Carolina sees something in Edwards Jr. that they seem to really like.
It's also important to note that Edwards Jr. has connections to former Tar Heel quarterback Bryn Renner, who likely played a role in pairing these two parties.
Transfer Portal Tracker
Edwards Jr. becomes the first addition for the UNC football program in this transfer portal cycle. Click here to keep up with all the latest news and updates on North Carolina's transfer portal additions and subtractions.