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North Carolina's Bill Belichick is fighting a battle against Colorado's Deion Sanders that he can't win

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated May 13, 2025 11:28 AM ET

Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels are locked into a battle with Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes that UNC almost certainly can't win.

North Carolina is one of the college football programs that's hoping to land 2026 three-star defensive lineman Joseph Peko.

Peko, 6-foot-3/310 lbs from Westlake Village, CA, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 70 player in the talent-rich state of California.

The three-star recruit recently took an official visit to North Carolina that reportedly went extremely well.

"He (Belichick) really got me interested in North Carolina at first," said Peko to On3. "But going to see the school for myself, I saw how their culture works and how they carried themselves as a staff and as a team. It made me want to go there more and be able to return to Chapel Hill.”

It sounds like UNC made a great impression on Peko, but it's hard to see the Tar Heels beating out Colorado for the talented defensive lineman.

And that's because Colorado has something that North Carolina doesn't.

Buffaloes defensive line coach Domata Peko, a 15-year NFL veteran, is Peko's father.

Additionally, Peko's brother, Domata Peko Jr, is committed to Colorado.

See you in December Boulder #Committed #skobuffs @GeorgeHelow @DeionSanders @DomataPeko @theyoungcoach @CoachMoose @GregBiggins @LJ_Reyna pic.twitter.com/uamwxVJhTW
— Domata Peko Jr (@domatapeko_jr) April 28, 2025

“In my mind, their coaching staff is one that is well-trusted," said Peko to On3 of his interest in Colorado. "I’ve known their staff for many years. I got to know them throughout my childhood and growing up. I have a trust in them, not just on the field, but also off the field.”

North Carolina would love to land Peko, but it's hard to imagine the three-star recruit choosing a school not named Colorado. The allure of playing for his father, and alongside his brother, is likely going to be too much for Belichick and the Tar Heels to overcome in the battle for Peko.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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