When you go to work somewhere new, sometimes it's nice to take some home comforts with you. Steve Belichick isn't bringing a blankie or throw rug with him to Chapel Hill. He's bringing a safety.
BREAKING: Washington transfer safety Peyton Waters has signed with North Carolina, @PeteNakos_ reports🐏
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) January 13, 2025
Waters was a 4-star in the 2024 class.https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/493Jml5ZXA
Freshman Peyton Waters, a 6-foot-1, 182-pound safety from Northridge, California, is heading to North Carolina. He was a 247Sports four-star recruit out of Birmingham High in Van Nuys. Waters played in 13 games this season for Washington, mostly on special teams. He tallied five total tackles for the Huskies, but they were all against Power Five opponents (two against USC and Penn State and one in the Sun Bowl against Louisville).
Waters was recruited by now-Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, but decided to stay at Washington under new coach Jedd Fisch. After a 6-7 season, a lot of Huskies are mushing out the door. Waters is the third secondary member to leave Washington, and the third Husky to join the North Carolina football program.
Just like receiver Jason Robinson, a lot of this transfer is based on projected impact. But you have to think that Steve Belichick, who spent an entire season watching Waters train and improve, wouldn't bring Waters into the fold if he wasn't worth the trouble.
For a secondary that couldn't seal the win over NC State last season, it's certainly worth a punt.