Bill Belichick isn’t just dipping his toes into college football; he’s diving headfirst, rewriting the recruiting playbook. Forget the usual stoic Belichick; the 72-year-old GOAT is bringing a ‘no stone unturned’ approach to UNC, stockpiling game-changers with the same relentless focus that fueled his Super Bowl dynasty, but with an extra tincture of smile. He’s not just attracting talent; he’s securing the kind of players who redefine games. And with a 245-pound edge rusher now firmly in UNC’s sights, it’s clear Belichick’s debut season won’t be about playing catch-up. He’s building a force.

That 245-pound force? That’s Max Meier, a three-star EDGE menace from Loyola High School. After receiving a UNC offer, Meier quickly tweeted, “Lifetime memory talking football with @Belichick_B and Coach Diaco and feeling incredibly blessed to receive an offer from UNC! #GOHEELS 🏈” But UNC is just one of 21 schools vying for Meier’s attention, setting the stage for a potential bidding war.

Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, USC, and Washington are all in the mix. But Washington, with its strong connections, poses a significant threat. Meier recently visited Washington for Junior Day, experiencing the Montlake atmosphere firsthand, and has confirmed he’ll be taking an official visit. “I’m not ready to announce my dates (for official visits) yet, but I’ll be at Washington for one of them,” Meier told Dawgman.com. “The coaching staff is one of the best I’ve ever seen. From coach (Jedd) Fisch down to the defensive assistants to everyone in the recruiting department, everyone there is just really awesome.” UNC, however, isn’t backing down.

Belichick’s NFL pedigree is a powerful draw, and with the 2026 class already ranked 38th nationally and 9th in the ACC, the Tar Heels are proving they’re serious contenders. Meier isn’t the only EDGE prospect on their radar; they’re also pursuing Rodney Dunham and Terande Spencer, signaling Belichick’s aggressive recruitment strategy. Recruiting is a mystery; offers fly, commitments land, but the ‘why’ remains elusive. For Max Meier, that mystery became intensely personal, as Belichick’s offer arrived amidst the aftermath of his fire-stricken struggle.

Bill Belichick’s defensive target got hit hard by those LA fires

This January, while Max Meier met with coaches like Lincoln Riley, his Pacific Palisades (LA) neighborhood was consumed by a wildfire. What began as a routine day quickly spiraled into a nightmare, forever altering his life as the inferno ravaged his coastal community. “I was talking to some coaches who came by the school to talk to me and some other players,” Meier said. “One of my best friends comes up to me and says, ‘There’s a fire in the Palisades, we all have to go home and evacuate.”

He continued, “I’m like, ‘You’re kidding me. You’re exaggerating.’ I didn’t have my phone and all my friends left, but I had to stay because Lincoln Riley was coming by at lunch to talk to some of us and Brandon Lockhart is committed and I just wanted to meet him because it’s USC.”

With evacuation orders in place, Meier was stranded at school, unable to retrieve his belongings. His parents barely escaped, and he spent the night with a friend in a hotel before reuniting with them at an Airbnb. He lost everything—football awards, recruitment letters, personal items. His teammates provided clothes, and donation centers offered assistance, but Meier struggled to accept help.

Sleeping on a four-foot couch, given his 6’5″ frame, added to his discomfort. Yet, he maintained his humor, stating, “I’m sleeping on a four-foot couch for this next week … and I’m 6-5 and a half, so it doesn’t really work out well.” Returning to his destroyed home, Meier found his burned-out weight bench and pumped out a few reps, a symbolic act of defiance. This resilience is paying off, and despite the chaos, his focus remains on his future.