Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Melkart Abou-Jaoude (9 ) celebrates with defensive lineman Smith Vilbert (8) after making a sack in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina Retains Star Pass Rusher

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Logan Lazarczyk | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 6:40 AM ET

What was once a disastrous offseason, has shifted into a productive and hopeful timeline for the North Carolina Tar Heels. After losing over 25 players to the transfer portal, North Carolina has recovered considerably, bringing back several key contributors while landing multiple veteran players that can come in and make an immediate impact.

The Tar Heels' fortunes continued on Tuesday, as the program re-signed pass rusher Melkart Abou-Jaoude, bringing back the star defensive lineman for another season in Chapel Hill. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher led the ACC with 10.5 sacks and was tied eighth in the country in sacks. In addition, the redshirt junior was fourth among North Carolina defenders with 47 tackles, including 12 tackles for lost. All of this led to Abou-Jaoude earned Second Team All-ACC honors.

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

While speaking with the media this season, head coach Bill Belichick described how the star pass rusher carries himself on a daily basis.

“Melkart [Abou-Jaoude] is a little bit of a quieter guy, but very well respected because of his work ethic, his toughness and his consistency,” Belichick said. “He just shows up every day, and gives you his best. You know you can count on him. His teammates have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and he’s had great production. So, his leadership really comes from his day in and day out performance and toughness and reliability.”

Let's take a look at how important this move is for the Tar Heels, as they enter 2026 with a rejuvenated mindset.

What This Means for North Carolina

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

With the departure of Tyler Thompson earlier this offseason, the Tar Heels could not afford to lose Abou-Jaoude. That was expected to be the reality for North Carolina, as the former Delaware pass rusher is entering his final year of college eligibility. The thought was that Abou-Jaoude could pursue a more competitive situation through the transfer portal.

After leading the conference in sacks, Abou-Jaoude would have a surplus of teams bidding for his services next season. However, he chose to stick around for one more year in Chapel Hill, and lead a revamped defense, which will include several newcomers via incoming freshman and transfer portal acquisitions.

Nonetheless, this is great news for North Carolina, as it retains one of its blue-chip players, who was virtually unstoppable last season. Abou-Jaoude will continue to be a pivotal piece of the defense, leading a unit that will steadily grow as the season develops.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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