Bill Belichick left the glamor of the NFL and decided to hang up his boots after all, only to find himself in North Carolina two years later. This was path-breaking news for college football in general. A legend like Belichick was gracing college football, surely it won’t be anything short of momentous. He has since revamped his whole staff, hired Michael Lombardi as his GM at $1.6 million per year, and is making moves that will worry the best of coaches in college football.

He started recruiting aggressively, travelling personally to recruit prospects, and is using his charisma and status to sway commitments. Take, for example, his 2025 class. When he joined the class, it was nothing short of ‘miserable,’ but just two months gone, and it ranks 48th nationally. Quite remarkable in just 2 months, right? Moreover, Belichick’s retention in his roster is a point to be considered. Since then, he has made players like Amare Campbell (LB), Austin Blake (OL), and Aidan Banfield stay. But now, the focus should shift to the 2026 class.

The former Patriots head coach has landed a total of 8 commitments till now for his 2026 class, with most of them being 3-star. His recruitment in 2026 seems weak as of now. Since there are no 4 or 5-star prospects at all in his class. But there was a 4-star prospect who could have made Belichick’s camp, but now seems to be swayed by Mike Norvell.

Keeyun Chapman, the 4-star wide receiver, said something about Mike Norvell in a recent statement reported by On3. “I like coach Mike Norvell a lot. I like coach Gus Malzahn too. The coaching staff at Florida State is what stands out the most. I want to commit during the season, I haven’t visited many schools yet, so I have to get out and see more.“ The player has focused his attention and has narrowed it down to only 7 schools overall that include Florida State, Miami, USF, Arkansas, and Georgia Tech. But why the changed stance? What about the Tar Heels?

Well, the player can still land in UNC, but he has now focused his attention more widely and is considering several teams. This is a prospect who also promises so much. At 6 foot 3 and weighing around 180 lbs, the player can take on even the best of the cornerbacks. His stats at his high school are also quite promising as he has 51 receptions for 1,332 yards with 17 touchdowns. This is a player who Belichick wouldn’t want to miss, and that’s why the player seems to be making all sorts of moves to land the best deal from Belichick.

Currently, on On3, the player has a 25.8% probability to commit to South Carolina, followed by UCF at 22.6% and then Arkansas at 19.4%. However, do not think that UNC is out of the picture. The player visited Belichick’s camp just last weekend. He even praised the coach and the work he is doing at UNC. But he also has his FSU visit scheduled on 30th May, and it seems he will only commit after he has taken a feel of all the programs.

Expectations for Bill Belichick going into the 2025 season

UNC’s 2025 prospects seem to be more and more positive going forward. Their schedule seems to be quite easy with their standards. They have Clemson in their 5th week, and UCF and TCU could be difficult too. But they are not facing any teams like Florida State or Miami. This will be a plus for Bill Belichick since it’s a 12-team playoff if he makes out the season with one or two losses. Chances are that he could find his team playing in the playoffs next season.

However, this being the first season of Belichick, expectations are not touching the roof, as he still has a lot to rebuild. His 2025 class will provide him some respite as he has accumulated 19 transfers so far, and chances are he will still be tempted to add some more after spring practice gets over. Amongst his freshman prospects, Belichick also has some decent additions like Bryce Baker (QB), Austin Alexander (Edge Rusher), and Chinedu Onyeagoro (Edge). The additions are not star-studded, but maybe Belichick could turn them into diamonds under his tutelage. At least, that’s what the supporters would expect.