The UNC football program has been extremely active in the transfer portal, looking to fill some roster voids during the spring transfer portal window.
After losing Amare Campbell to the transfer portal, the need for linebacker depth became much-more important for the Tar Heels to address. While North Carolina has secured one commitment from a transfer linebacker thus far this cycle, they've hosted a few others and are set to host another this upcoming week.
According to Pete Nakos of On3, former Florida State Seminole Timir Hickman-Collins will make a trip to Chapel Hill.
The Fort Mill, South Carolina native spent the 2024 season at Florida State, a year in which he redshirted while working with the scout team. After not seeing any game action, Hickman-Collins, a former three-star prospect, elected to enter his name into the transfer portal on April 25 and has garnered interest from a variety of schools, including North Carolina.
While the focus of talent at other positions (especially offensive line) has surrounded on college experience, the UNC football program is very open-minded to adding talent at other positions that may have little to no experience at this given level. As North Carolina looks to rebuild essentially its entire roster with the new regime in town, guys like Hickman-Collins, a player with a bunch of potential that comes with four years of eligibility remaining, make a lot of sense as developmental pieces for the program to work with.
The Belichick family has a reputation for being brilliant defensive minds, as Bill and Steve have the ability to find hidden gems and guide them toward reaching their full potential. Sure, it's no guarantee that any transfers that leave the program or elect to join it will succeed, but it seems that Belichick and the UNC football staff have faith that Timir Hickman-Collins could be a strong addition on defense and potentially even on special teams.