Bill Belichick and North Carolina flip four-star OT J.B. Shabazz from Tennessee

This is big for North Carolina, literally.

Shabazz is a four-star from Kernersville, N.C., who checks in at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds. He's a hulking offensive tackle who is also highly ranked by the recruiting services.

Digging into it, this is really a threefold win for the Tar Heels.

First of all, Shabazz is a big-time recruit. According to the 247Sports Composite, he's the No. 22 offensive tackle in the 2026 class.

Second, but perhaps most important for North Carolina, is the fact that he's an in-state recruit. Belichick is going to have to lock down in-state recruits to sustain success at UNC, so getting the No. 13-ranked player from the state to commit is significant.

Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, North Carolina only has two of the top 15 recruits from the state, with four-star defensive lineman Trashawn Ruffin joining Shabazz.

Lastly, stealing a top recruit from a SEC program in Tennessee is more than notable for the Tar Heels.

The idea at North Carolina was that Belichick's Super Bowl legacy would speak for itself on the recruiting trail and counteract his lack of experience at the college level.

This serves as proof of concept for the Tar Heels. They can go toe-to-toe with anyone on the recruiting trail.