Why Bill Belichick’s Recruiting Strategy Is Working at UNC

One of the biggest questions when Bill Belichick arrived at North Carolina was whether he would embrace the recruiting side of college football, especially in the age of NIL and the transfer portal. Another question quickly followed: Could he recruit?

Well, North Carolina has a Top 20 recruiting class in the country with 36 commits, including blue chippers in quarterback Travis Burgess (No. 65 overall and No. 7 QB according to 247Sports), athlete CJ Sadler (No. 1 prospect in Michigan) and wide receiver Keeyun Chapman (No. 191 nationally).

“Honestly, he’s a phenomenal recruiter. Many underestimated him because of his NFL background, but he enjoys evaluating and engaging with these kids,” Sisk said. “His culture shift at UNC is real, and it’s transforming the program into a multi-sport powerhouse, not just a basketball school. The system he’s built for evaluating and recruiting is meticulous, and it’s paying off with this historic class.”

Why UNC has Been So Effective at Recruiting Nationally

One of the biggest takeaways from North Carolina’s 2026 recruiting class is its ability to recruit nationally. The Tar Heels have 36 commitments from 19 different states, including multiple prospects from Alabama, California, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas.

Despite entering college football with little to no recruiting connections, Belichick has leaned on his NFL background and the '33rd Team' slogan to successfully sell recruits. But according to Sisk, the key has been how the Tar Heels have encouraged their commits to 'peer recruit' other players.

“Well, it’s no secret that having a guy like Belichick, with his NFL background, plays a factor. But beyond that, they’re building connections really well,” Sisk said. “

The staff runs their system with a lot of trust, and they get players who are willing to peer recruit, which is key. These peer recruiters are relatable to incoming players, which has been a huge factor in North Carolina’s success. The staff’s ability to go national has allowed them to pick and choose their commitments and target players more selectively. Belichick’s presence matters, but the staff he brought has done an exceptional job.”

Will There be a Grace Period?

With 36 recruits currently committed, it will be hard for North Carolina to keep all of them as some of them will decommit. 36 commits is a lot not only for this day and age but it has always been seen as a lot.

The question isn’t who might decommit, but how many. That concern only grows if North Carolina stumbles early in the season instead of starting strong. Still, Sisk believes Tar Heels fans shouldn’t worry about a mass exodus from the recruiting class.

“There’s definitely some grace,” Sisk said. “Look at what Deion Sanders did at Colorado—the first year was underwhelming, but once his players bought in, success followed. North Carolina is in a similar spot; the recruits see potential and are committed long-term.”