Bill Belichick and the UNC football program have extended an offer to Class of 2026 quarterback Ryder Lyons from Folsom High School, California.
Elite class of 2026 quarterback @ryderly0ns tells @BrandonHuffman and I that North Carolina is the latest school to offer.
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) January 9, 2025
🔗https://t.co/lW3aN4dUwz@247Sports / @InsideCarolina / @DonCallahanIC pic.twitter.com/HYLOdQhOgo
Lyons is a 247Sports Composite five-star recruit and Rivals.com No. 4 ranked recruit in the 2026 class and was recently named the 2024-25 Gatorade California Football Player of the Year. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior is a dual-threat quarterback. This past season, he threw for 2,874 yards and 44 touchdowns while rushing for 556 yards and 12 more touchdowns.
We do not know what kind of offense Belichick and Freddie Kitchens will run yet, but you'd have to suspect it will shine with a quarterback who can make things happen outside of the pocket. Lyons has some wiggle and escapability, but he has the wherewithal to use his legs to escape the pass rush and get some deep balls down the field.
It's early days in this recruitment, and it will be uphill sledding for North Carolina in this recruitment. The Tar Heels will have to go head-to-head with west coast powers like Oregon and Southern Cal, who have also offered. Add to that SEC and Big Ten powerhouses like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Michigan, and Belichick and UNC's NIL team will have their work cut out for them.