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Chaotic recruiting and 'harsh' decisions

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4 months ago

September 1, 2025

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Chaotic recruiting and 'harsh' decisions

David Hale
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David Hale

ESPN Staff Writer
- College football reporter.
- Joined ESPN in 2012.
- Graduate of the University of Delaware.
Andrea Adelson
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Andrea Adelson

ESPN Senior Writer
- ACC reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
- Graduate of the University of Florida.

Aug 31, 2025, 07:00 PM ET

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Just minutes before taking the stage at the ACC’s annual kickoff event at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown, Bill Belichick scrolled through his phone, reviewing his notes at a table in a dark service corridor as hotel employees stacked plates and glasses around. He had been shuffled through back hallways by conference and school staffers hoping to avoid the majority of the more than 800 media members gathered in an adjacent ballroom, all eager to photograph, question or simply glimpse college football’s biggest celebrity, but the spotlight awaited.

This is the new normal for North Carolina.

“It’s a little like the Deion [Sanders] thing at Colorado,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said. “He grabs your attention. It’s made for television.”

The ballroom where Belichick addressed topics as banal as the modern use of the fullback remained packed for his session, the ACC having distributed nearly 40% more credentials than a year earlier. In a breakout room intended for a more informal Q&A, more than 200 reporters elbowed through the crowd to pose a question. Belichick spoke for more than 20 minutes, even cracking a few jokes.

One reporter asked what it was like sitting in living rooms with recruits during the spring.

“I haven’t done that,” Belichick quipped. “That would be a recruiting violation right now.”

For anyone who had lived through Belichick’s chaotic early days of recruiting and roster building, it might have felt like an inside joke. The start to this new era in Chapel Hill was marked by missteps, confusion, broken promises and “harsh” and “businesslike” decisions to nudge players out the door, all while a skeleton staff bereft of college experience struggled to keep up.

“It was very stressful,” said a former member of the staff. “Everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.”

It was a far cry from Belichick’s presentation at ACC media days this summer, where he appeared at ease in his new world — still far from his promise to bring a national championship to Chapel Hill but more aware of the pitfalls he’d face along the way.

When Belichick met with North Carolina’s team for the first time in December 2024, he delivered a mission statement for a program that has developed a reputation as a perennial underachiever. It was now being led by a man who had won 302 NFL games and six Super Bowls as a head coach. Things were about to change dramatically.

“We’re going to grind every single day,” he told the team, according to veteran quarterback Max Johnson. “It’s a process from January until the season starts.”

That process reaches its apex Monday night when UNC hosts TCU (8 p.m. on ESPN) in Belichick’s first game as a college head coach. It has been, according to more than two dozen sources including former assistants, current and former staffers, high school coaches, players, recruits and members of school administration who spoke with ESPN, at times enlightening and exhilarating, chaotic and tumultuous.

Belichick and his staff have had to adjust on the fly to the intricacies of NCAA recruiting rules, rebuild a roster and dodge scrutiny about the 73-year-old coach and his 24-year-old girlfriend. The promise Belichick didn’t offer to his team that first day, but the one that seems most likely to hold true, is that no part of this era would be boring.

“There’s things that we’re going to deal with that other schools aren’t,” Belichick said in his usual subdued tone. “That’s the way it goes.”

All eyes have been on North Carolina ever since Bill Belichick was hired in December. Matt Kelley/Getty ImagesIF BELICHICK’S NFL résumé was a selling point to UNC fans, his status as a college newcomer quickly became uncomfortably apparent to numerous high school coaches, recruits and staffers who spoke to ESPN. They described the December and January recruiting push as a frenetic and disjointed process in which few people seemed to have a clear vision for the program’s direction.In a quest to “go lean,” Belichick quickly cut ties with much of the previous staff — from assistant coaches to entry-level personnel who handled the basic operations of recruiting. When he was in the office, Belichick spent most of his time behind closed doors in a staff room with Tar Heels GM Mike Lombardi and newly hired personnel staffers Joe Anile and Andrew Blaylock, with one source involved in the process saying the Heels initially couldn’t do “traditional” visits because there were so few people for players to meet with. Another source at UNC said the decision to move on from the prior staff was understandable, but “you still need someone who knows how to book a flight or a hotel.” Multiple sources confirmed Belichick ultimately relented — at least temporarily — rehiring some analysts just to fill the void.”A couple times they brought in good players and ignored them on their visit,” a source with direct knowledge of the situation said. “There were times that the kids would be waiting 30, 45 minutes or an hour and then all of a sudden, you’re not meeting with Coach Belichick anymore, and we’ll go back to the airport.”Belichick and his top lieutenants were often flying blind when it came to NCAA rules and regulations, operating by a Silicon Valley-style “move fast and break things” approach, while public records obtained by ESPN show numerous reminders from compliance staff about recruiting quiet periods and NIL restrictions, along with a protracted debate about the boundaries of where coaches could meet with recruits on official visits.”That’s probably the biggest thing they’ve had to learn, with what you can and can’t do,” another source who has worked with the program said. “They found out fast how many rules we’ve been dealing with over the past couple of years.”Those initial months were a barrage of hasty evaluations and high-pressure sales pitches.One recruit, who ultimately didn’t sign with UNC, recalled meeting Belichick for just a few minutes before being handed a contract and asked to sign.”I kind of felt it was disrespectful to just put me in that situation after just meeting a coach,” the recruit said. “It was just crazy that you’d make a player sign a contract in front of a coach right after you just met him, and you haven’t even talked about numbers yet or anything about what I would get at that school.”In-state recruit Jariel Cobb was planning a visit to an SEC school when he got a call from UNC, saying Belichick wanted to send a car to pick him up if he could visit campus immediately. When Cobb arrived in Chapel Hill with his mother, they were given the red-carpet treatment, with an array of people in UNC gear shaking hands and lauding the recruit’s skill set. Belichick met with Cobb, who had always dreamed of playing for his home-state Tar Heels but didn’t receive an offer from the prior staff. Belichick delivered a stern analysis: “I don’t know why in the hell they hadn’t offered you, but I looked at the film. I want you.”

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“They treated us like celebrities,” Terri Cobb, Jariel’s mother, said. “Other schools had told him to think on it, but right out of the gate, Bill stood up and said, ‘You rocking and rolling with me or what?'”

Cobb signed, enrolled early and went through spring ball with the Tar Heels, calling it a positive experience, but his mother had noted that, during his initial conversations with Belichick, the coach had repeatedly mentioned two other players from Cobb’s high school he hoped would also come to UNC. In retrospect, she wonders if the Tar Heels’ interest in her son was aimed at getting an inside line to other players.

“They were flying through visitors,” the former member of the staff said. “It was unclear if Coach Belichick had evaluated the tape with how quickly they were bringing kids in.”

By the spring, with a full staff and enough time to better evaluate talent, North Carolina went into its second roster rebuild of the offseason. Overall, 39 players transferred out after Belichick’s arrival, including nearly two dozen after spring workouts. Cobb was among them. After just four months at his dream school, he was told he was unlikely to play and encouraged to transfer. It was, according to his mother, a similar story for many of his teammates. Cobb is now at Charlotte, which will play the Tar Heels in Week 2.

Meanwhile, UNC heavily recruited transfers during the spring portal window, which, according to numerous coaches across multiple Power 4 conferences, was described as the most bereft of talent since the portal era began in 2021. The Tar Heels added 23 players.

“There’s a little guesstimate there,” Belichick said. “You do the best you can to figure it out, but it’s a very inexact science.”

To find worthy additions in April and May, North Carolina was aggressive in identifying potential transfers. Five coaches told ESPN that they had been frustrated with North Carolina’s brazen efforts, led by Lombardi, to contact players directly prior to those players entering the portal, with at least one coach contacting Belichick to complain. Though tampering has become commonplace in college football, it’s often done through back-channels — current players talking to friends or former teammates, for example. North Carolina was “blatant” and “brazen,” according to one Power 4 coach. One player who spoke to ESPN said that he had been contacted by UNC in an effort to convince him to transfer, and he was warned not to inform anyone of the communication. If he did, he was told, he could lose his eligibility.

“I don’t think they’re doing anything that hasn’t been done [elsewhere],” one source said, “but I do think it’s such a drastic culture change from [former coach] Mack [Brown], so that it looks completely different to the people at UNC.”

While the style is different, so are the results. UNC already has nine blue-chip commitments for 2026 as Belichick has grown more comfortable with the recruiting process and focused on a national approach to talent acquisition.

“We’re in there with some good schools,” Belichick said, “and it’s good to be able to get kids coming to Carolina over some of the top schools in the country.”

After the rocky start, Belichick has used additional resources promised as part of his hiring to nearly double the recruiting support staff from what existed under Brown, yet it’s often Belichick who’s the linchpin to selling a player.

Belichick’s first time on the road recruiting was traveling to Rolesville High outside Raleigh, North Carolina, to visit brothers Zavion and Jayden Griffin-Haynes. Zavion had been committed to North Carolina under Brown, but decommitted after the coaching change. Jayden never received an offer under the previous staff.

Belichick stayed for nearly two hours, according to Zavion, and he broke down tape with the brothers, a key part of the coach’s sales pitch with high-level recruits.

“They stayed on me,” Zavion said. “They came to see me practice during spring ball. They made sure it was love from UNC and that really stood out to me. He wants me to be the face of the program, but he also said I have to work for it. He’s not just going to hand it to me, but I’m the guy he’s looking for in the program.”

Both brothers committed in June.

Weddington (N.C.) coach Andy Capone remembers Belichick visiting campus this spring to meet with recruit Thomas Davis Jr., and he was awestruck.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of head coaches,” Capone said, “but I’ve only taken a picture with two of them: Nick Saban and Bill Belichick.”

What truly impressed Capone was Belichick’s pitch once the fanfare died down. Belichick described a detailed plan for UNC, spent time with three recruits, including Davis, and, from memory, recited plays he had watched on film from their games, relating each to plays run by some of the greats from Belichick’s past.

“He’d say, ‘This is how I used Lawrence Taylor or Mike Vrabel,'” Capone said. “It was really cool to let them see a perspective of how he sees players in his system.”

Capone said Belichick was honest with his recruits, and he pitched them on his long history of preparing players for the NFL.

Before Belichick departed, Davis, who ultimately committed to Notre Dame, asked the question that has been at the forefront of so many debates since the NFL legend arrived at Carolina. Was Belichick really planning to stay long in Chapel Hill?

“I wouldn’t have taken this job to go back to the NFL,” Belichick told him. “We’re going to win national championships here.”

Sources told ESPN that much of the drama surrounding Jordon Hudson was overblown. Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesVINAY PATEL WAS never a Belichick fan. The UNC board of trustees member applauded the hire for the Tar Heels, but he had seen enough of Belichick in the pros to assume he wouldn’t like the guy.Still, Patel was curious, so he attended a welcome banquet held on campus this winter, hosted by Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.To his surprise, the event was friendly.”I expected some pompous SOB, and he definitely wasn’t that,” Patel said. “And she’s not standoffish at all. We chatted, shook hands. She’s polite.”A few months later, amid a media firestorm surrounding Belichick’s relationship with Hudson, who is nearly 50 years his junior, and her role in managing his personal brand, Patel remembers being perplexed by the seemingly ubiquitous outrage.”I had a friend saying, ‘Can you believe this Jordon Hudson?’ — this and that,” Patel said. “And I’m just thinking, yes, but if you’d told me a year ago that UNC football was going to be a news story on a daily basis, I’d have thought you were nuts.”If Patel favored an “all publicity is good publicity” approach, many members of the often staid and conservative UNC community saw it differently. In December, Belichick emailed UNC staff, insisting Hudson be copied on all communications. Hudson proceeded to inject her opinion on how the school’s PR staff operated, sometimes frustrating longtime employees. In one instance, she insisted Steve Belichick never be referred to as Bill’s son, and in a February email, asked to have public comments on UNC football social media sites censored, including one she said described her as “a predator.” UNC public relations replied that it “hid/erased one comment that had been posted about your personal life,” but did not find additional critical comments on UNC football’s Facebook page, according to documents obtained by ESPN in a public records request.Bill Belichick was frustrated that the emails were shared, according to multiple sources, despite warnings from UNC staff that, as a public university, the athletics department was subject to open records requests.”He didn’t like it at all, but he’s never worked at a public school,” a UNC source said. “[Hudson] would probably be more involved if we weren’t a public school.”By the spring, Hudson’s involvement became routine public fodder. At UNC’s final spring practice, Hudson roiled the school’s old guard not only for being on the field, but for the way she was dressed. More attention followed, from a controversial appearance on “CBS Sunday Morning” to reports that Hudson had been banned from UNC’s football facility to suggestions in a New York Times story that a planned season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” featuring North Carolina was scuttled due to her involvement.

Sources familiar with the negotiations told ESPN that the decision to nix the project was ultimately Belichick’s, saying he felt the timing of the HBO show, which would film only during fall camp, wouldn’t showcase the team’s strengths. The school instead pivoted to another project that will air on Hulu and cover North Carolina’s entire season.

Amid the spring’s media frenzy, the school was flooded with complaints from fans, donors and even professors, calling Belichick’s relationship “shameless,” “a disgrace” and “a laughing stock,” with one alum writing, “We’ve always prided ourselves on being a class act, but this is the kind of unnecessary distraction that does more harm than good. If Bill walks, he walks.”

UNC brass, including chancellor Lee Roberts and athletic director Bubba Cunningham, declined to comment on “the private lives of any of our employees,” as Roberts explained, and inside the locker room, few players seemed bothered.

Numerous sources who spoke to ESPN suggested much of the Hudson drama was overblown. One UNC administrator said that Hudson’s initial involvement was simply to “fill a void” until new PR staff could be hired and said Hudson hasn’t been a part of football-related correspondence since early in the spring.

A “talking points” email distributed to PR personnel and Belichick ahead of the ACC’s spring meetings in May detailed Hudson’s role, noting “once staff was in place, after about a month, she was no longer copied on emails. She is not involved in the hiring of staff, recruiting of players, communications related to the program or the building of the program” but “continues to be involved from a scheduling perspective.” The memo also noted that “Jordon is playing an active role in the filming and production of a documentary about Coach Belichick’s first season of college football, so in that capacity, she may be seen on the sidelines of Carolina Football practices or games.”

Multiple sources who spoke to ESPN doubted Belichick had been aware of the outsized attention she generated online — “He’s always watching film, not scrolling through her Instagram” — and believed that after the CBS interview, he took steps to limit her exposure in relation to the football program.

“It’s almost like you’re shielded from it,” one source with knowledge of the program said. “You’re finding all this stuff on TMZ and different sites, but nobody really talked about it around the building. It was more of a big deal nationally than it was here.”

North Carolina has beefed up security since Belichick’s hire. AP Photo/Chris Seward, FileA SMALL ARMY of reporters shuffled aimlessly outside a padlocked gate that, in a few moments, would provide a brief glimpse of North Carolina’s fall camp on a weekday in mid-August. Access to outsiders has been severely restricted, and a pair of onlookers standing at a fourth-floor window in a nearby building had likely already gleaned more information about this Tar Heels team than the local media had all summer.In the Belichick era, there are insiders and there are outsiders.North Carolina has beefed up security. When one local reporter used binoculars to glimpse Hudson and other visitors at a UNC practice through a narrow window of the indoor practice facility, a guard immediately interrupted. The football building inside Kenan Stadium has been off limits to all nonessential football personnel, and the school installed facial recognition sensors to enter the facility. No UNC player was permitted to speak to the media for the first six months of Belichick’s tenure, and Belichick is also skipping a weekly radio show, typically a staple for college coaches, ceding the stage to Lombardi.Belichick’s staff is filled with trusted confidants. Lombardi had been an advisor with the New England Patriots and even co-hosted Belichick’s podcast. Lombardi’s son, Matt, is UNC’s quarterbacks coach. Two of Belichick’s sons — Steve and Brian — coach on defense. One of his former players, Jamie Collins, is the inside linebackers coach. Several sources suggest senior staff members monitor outgoing communications from other staffers to curtail leaks about the inner workings of the program.

On the inside, however, the view of Belichick has been far different than the public persona he has projected for decades.

“They’ve been really easy and good to work with,” said Cunningham, who had initially been skeptical of the hire. “It’s a different model. They wanted to bring in their own coaches and personnel and recruiting people, people they’ve worked with previously. It’s a very personable staff.”

𝐌𝐢𝐜’𝐝 𝐔𝐩 🎙️🎙️🎙️@Belichick_B pic.twitter.com/cf2axVs1D6

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) August 15, 2025

This winter, Belichick had pizza delivered to UNC fraternities and sororities ahead of the Heels’ men’s basketball game against Duke. He did the same for several of UNC’s winter and spring sports teams.

Belichick is a longtime lacrosse fan, and as he surveyed the football practice field during the spring — the same field where the lacrosse teams practice — he posed a question: Where are the lacrosse lines? Belichick was told that, if the football team practices that morning, the lacrosse field wouldn’t get painted.

“He said, ‘Paint the lines,’ and we got them,” UNC’s women’s lacrosse coach Jenny Levy said. “I think he’s diving into what college athletics is all about.”

Former UNC linebacker Jeff Schoettmer attended the school’s “Practice Like a Pro” day to conclude spring practice, and he watched Belichick mingle with recruits, transfers and their parents. At a banquet afterward, the coach met with former players and donors.

“It’s pretty incredible to see how easily he moves among different types of people,” Schoettmer said. “Him holding court with former players — it’s just like you see some of these extroverted coaches who’ll talk to anybody, but you don’t expect Bill to sit there and tell war stories with guys he’s never coached. But that’s how much love I think he has for North Carolina.”

Inside the football facility, Belichick thought Brown’s former office on the fourth floor of the football building was isolating, so he set up his own office on the second floor to be in the same space occupied by the players.

“I can’t coach the players if I’m not around them,” Belichick told ESPN. “I try to go in and out of meetings and be visible and present.”

Cunningham said he has been struck by how accessible Belichick is to the team, routinely sitting in film study sessions and breaking down plays.

In June, Belichick met with his quarterbacks each day for about an hour, a process that began during his tenure with the Patriots because, he said, “It’s important for the coach and the quarterback to be on the same page.”

Johnson, one of the few holdovers from Brown’s 2024 team, said the involvement of the coach in the small details of the game is unlike anything he had seen.

“We did something different every day,” Johnson said. “Everything is really detailed, and that’s what I’ve loved.”

If Belichick’s tenure has been marked by a steadfast devotion to those in his orbit at the expense of those on the outside, it has done little to temper enthusiasm around the program.

Donations are up, season tickets are sold out, and UNC has added new premium-seating options that will further expand its revenue opportunities. Rick Barakat, the athletics department’s new chief revenue officer, said UNC will exceed its all-time gross revenue record this year.

“The pitch has changed because the excitement’s never been higher,” Barakat said. “We’ve had bouts of success historically, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen Carolina football at the level it is right now in the national news cycle, and that trickles down into every conversation.”

Even entities in Belichick’s orbit seemed to bask in the glow of newfound attention. Phillips raved that Belichick “is great for the ACC and great for North Carolina.” One executive for the Charlotte 49ers referred to a sizable uptick in season ticket sales as “The Belichick Bump,” and AD Mike Hill was tasked with finding more seating capacity for the Week 2 game by bringing in “bleachers everywhere.” Charlotte’s initial advertising for the game focused on Belichick, a decision critiqued by the school’s chancellor, according to public records obtained by ESPN, for ignoring its own new coach, Tim Albin.

Many of North Carolina’s administrators who spoke to ESPN said the investment would be judged on wins and losses, but it’s also possible the spotlight could be a springboard to something else.

“You’re seeing a lot more people involved as far as helping out the program,” one of those sources said. “You can feel that UNC is embracing more on the football end. It’s been the talk of the last two years, but the push to get to the SEC, I think, was a major reason for this show of investment in football.”

Belichick has drawn a lot of attention. AP Photo/Aaron BeardUPON HIS HIRE, Belichick immediately pushed a new tagline for Tar Heels football. They would be “the 33rd NFL team,” and those early days included an influx of professional know-how, from Lombardi to former Patriots nutritionist Josh Grimes and Moses Cabrera, Belichick’s longtime strength and conditioning guru.”Coach B comes in with a different mindset in terms of everything’s going to be at the highest level possible, no matter what he has to do to get there,” wide receiver Jordan Shipp said.

Belichick has delivered that message repeatedly, both inside the locker room and to the media, often saying players who “don’t want to work, they don’t want to be good. That’s OK, but if you’re like that, Carolina’s a bad place to be. It’s too important to the rest of us.”

Belichick retained Freddie Kitchens as the lone full-time position coach from the previous staff, in large part because of his NFL background. Kitchens spent 16 years in the NFL before moving on to college, including a stint as the Cleveland Browns head coach. Belichick has said all of the systems they are implementing — from offense to defense to special teams — are NFL-based.

“Fundamentals and techniques that go with them are based on that too, practice, structure, meeting, installation, teaching. There were some modifications we had to make, but basically it’s all the same,” Belichick said.

Belichick has gotten more used to recruiting as well. Those who interacted with him on the recruiting trail in January noticed a big difference in their exchanges six months later, describing him as “more personable.”

“He understands that he had to change his way of doing things, and he’s doing that, and he’s really adapting to this new culture,” said Rolesville (N.C.) coach Ranier Rackley, who has three players committed to UNC. “So that’s why he’s getting a lot of these guys because of that.”

Collins, who played for Belichick for parts of seven seasons during a 10-year NFL career, said he has seen a softening of the coach who, in the pros, was known for his all-business approach to relationships.

“The old Bill comes out, but we live in a different world now,” Collins said. “I’ve seen a different side of Bill coaching these guys.”

In June, Rackley brought a group of players to UNC’s 7-on-7 camp, and he took note of Belichick moving from one group to the next, watching as many teams and players as possible. There was a different energy to the experience, he said.

In all, nearly 4,000 kids showed up during UNC football camps that month. For Belichick, who has often downplayed the leap from the NFL to college, it was an eye-opening moment.

“Once you actually see it, it feels like Normandy,” Belichick told ESPN. “It’s like, ‘Here they come.'”

North Carolina hasn’t won an ACC title since 1980, but with Belichick on the sideline, there’s no lack of optimism in Chapel Hill.

“We’re here to win football games,” Shipp said. “He let us know that yeah, we’re going to have a spotlight. But that’s not what we’re worried about. We’re worried about winning games.”

For UNC, though, there’s more to the story. Belichick is a bona fide winner, but he’s also a show — occasionally controversial, often recalcitrant, sometimes funny — and for a program looking for attention, he has delivered.

“We want to be competitive in football,” Roberts said. “We want to be part of the national conversation. Carolina stands for excellence across the board, and we want to be excellent in football. I think we’re well on our way.”

What comes after that remains a mystery — one Belichick has fiercely protected throughout a long offseason. Now, the veil is lifted.

The new era of North Carolina football is here.

Michael Rothstein and Eli Lederman contributed to this story.

NIL

2026 NFL Mock Draft: Mendoza and Moore Go Top Two; Simpson to Steelers

Published

3 minutes ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

It’s late December, and we still have nearly a month left of college football.

That means we still have a month to see which players will increase their draft stock in some incredible College Football Playoff matchups. FOX Sports Research has put together a mock for the 2026 NFL Draft ahead of the CFP quarterfinals.

The draft order below was determined by aggregating several projections for each team while still factoring in trades involving draft picks to account for teams with multiple selections.

Let’s take a look.

Note: Several players expected to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft have not because of their participation in upcoming CFP games; below is a projection of players who are expected to declare at the conclusion of their respective seasons.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

1. New York Jets (from Giants): Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

The Jets are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, and Mendoza has exhibited all the tools you want to see in a top QB prospect: elite arm strength, the ability to throw into tight windows, and sneaky mobility for a 6-foot-5 signal caller. The Heisman winner leads all of FBS with 33 pass touchdowns this season, which is also the Indiana single-season record.

With a couple more clutch performances in the CFP, it’ll be tough for any team to pass on him with the first pick.

2. Las Vegas Raiders: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Geno Smith is 35 years old and hasn’t lived up to expectations in Las Vegas. Moore was the third-ranked QB in his high school class and fourth-ranked player in the country (according to 247Sports) and has shown flashes of brilliance all year.

Moore can escape the pocket, but he’s still an extremely accurate passer with a completion rate of 72.4% on the year. The Oregon Duck is one of three Power 4 quarterbacks to have completed over 70% of his passes, been responsible for 30 or more TDs, thrown for over 3,000 yards, and have less than 10 interceptions. The other two were Julian Sayin and Diego Pavia, both Heisman finalists.

Dante Moore has played himself into a top pick if he comes out for the draft. (CFP/Getty Images)

3. Cleveland Browns: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

While Cleveland could really use a receiver, it has two picks in the first round and can get better value at that position later in the first round. Mauigoa is a blue-chip prospect with freakish tools for an offensive lineman. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), he’s given up just three sacks in 1,015 pass blocking snaps over the past two seasons – and in 2023, he was a freshman All-America selection. He can also move into the interior with his frame and agility.

4. New York Giants (from Jets): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

At 6-foot-6 and 308 pounds, Fano is another new-era offensive tackle with incredible athleticism for his size. In three seasons, he’s given up just three sacks and seven QB hits, highlighted by a 2025 campaign in which he didn’t allow a single sack in 382 pass blocking snaps (according to PFF).

With Jaxon Dart under center for the future, this is a step in the right direction for New York to build around him. Fano and Mauigoa are the 1A and 1B offensive tackles in this draft.

5. Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Easily the best receiver in this draft, Tate is next in the long line of pro Buckeye receivers. With a disappointing and injury-riddled season from Calvin Ridley, he would be the surefire top target for Cam Ward and the ultimate security blanket for the young QB.

At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he’s a big receiver who can dominate in the red zone while also serving as a deep threat. This year, he’s one of 10 Power 4 receivers to have nine receiving TDs and over 800 receiving yards.

6. Arizona Cardinals: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

A big riser on draft boards over the past few months, Reese has cemented himself as the clear-cut best linebacker in this draft. Due to his elite speed for his size, he can drop back into coverage as an off-ball backer or line up on the edge and rush the passer. Reese has 6.5 sacks and two passes defended on the year, and 105 total tackles in two seasons for the Buckeyes.

Reese is an instant boost for a struggling Cardinals defense.

7. Washington Commanders: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Downs might be the smartest football player in this draft, having lined up all over the field during his time at Alabama and Ohio State. This past season, he has played 34 snaps on the defensive line, 214 in the box, 134 at slot corner, nine at wide corner, and 226 at free safety. For his career, he’s totaled 248 tackles, 158 solo tackles, 10 passes defended, and six interceptions.

There is nothing Downs can’t do, and whatever team gets him is landing a perennial Pro Bowler.

8. New Orleans Saints: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami

Bain might have the best film of any edge player in this draft, dominating teams like Notre Dame, Florida and most recently Texas A&M. In that first round CFP game, he had a whopping three sacks against an Aggies offensive line that had given up just 12 in 12 games.

Bain is also an elite run stopper and can move inside when needed. According to PFF, he’s the only player in FBS to have over 400 pass-rushing snaps with a pass-rush grade over 90. The other five players to exceed 400 pass-rushing snaps didn’t break a grade higher than 78.9, and he also has a run defense grade of 86.7.

Bain is the perfect replacement for Cam Jordan.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

While Clemson had a down year, Woods has too many tools for any team looking for a dominant defensive lineman to pass on.

At 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, he’s reported to have a lean muscle mass percentage of 77%. He’s also another player who was a freshman All-American in 2023 and posted a dominant follow-up campaign in 2024 while playing both defensive end and tackle for the Tigers. Woods finished 2025 with a career-high 30 tackles along with two sacks.

10. Kansas City Chiefs: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

The Chiefs rank in the bottom 11 of the league in rushing at 108 yards per game. Love has 35 rushing touchdowns since 2024, which is the most of any player in that span, and has averaged 6.9 yards per carry over the last two seasons with a whopping 2,497 rushing yards.

Love would be a massive boost for a KC team that will need to establish the run more as Patrick Mahomes returns from a torn ACL.

Jeremiyah Love will be a popular name on fantasy draft boards in 2026. (Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

11. Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

No player in Power 4 had a higher pass coverage grade on PFF than Delane at 90.9. In 357 coverage snaps, he gave up just 13 receptions for 147 yards and no touchdowns with opposing QBs sporting a 26.7 passer rating when targeting him.

Miami needs immediate help at the position, with four cornerbacks on injured reserve at the end of the season. Delane should be an instant starter for them.

12. Los Angeles Rams: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

Matthew Stafford is the current MVP favorite with no signs of slowing down. At 37 years old, everything the Rams do from a roster construction standpoint should and will likely be with the intent of winning a Super Bowl immediately.

Proctor is a specimen at 6-foot-7, 366 pounds and has given up just five sacks in the last two seasons (according to PFF). Rob Havenstein is 33 years old and dealing with injuries, making this an ideal fit for Los Angeles.

13. Baltimore Ravens: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

Faulk is a monster at 6-foot-6 and 288 pounds, and he displayed an incredible ability to blow past offensive tackles in the SEC over the past two seasons. He posted 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 45 total tackles for the Tigers in his true sophomore season in 2024.

Despite less production in 2025, he has Baltimore Raven written all over him, given his tools and athleticism.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

If it weren’t for Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles would be getting a lot more recognition as a Buckeye linebacker. In his past two seasons at Ohio State, he’s totaled 181 tackles, 94 solo tackles, eight passes defended, 6.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He hits like a truck and can move well in space.

Lavonte David is 35 years old and this is a good chance for Tampa to replace him.

15. Dallas Cowboys: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

The heartbeat of Georgia’s defense this year, Allen is a tenacious tackler who thrives in the run game and can also cover receivers in the slot. Dallas has bolstered its defensive line with Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, but it needs an off-ball backer with a high IQ to prevent explosive plays at the second level.

In three seasons with the Bulldogs, Allen totaled 202 tackles, 115 solo tackles, 10 passes defended, 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

16. Detroit Lions: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Bailey is second in all the FBS in sacks at 13.5 and leads all Power 4 players, as well. Even looking back at his three seasons at Stanford, he’s had consistent production, with totaling 28 sacks from 2022 to 2025, the third-most of any player in that span.

Bailey is a bit undersized at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, but there’s no denying his bend and burst off the edge. He should be a huge help to a Lions defense that has struggled all season.

17. Minnesota Vikings: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

The brother of All-Pro corner A.J. Terrell, Avieon has had a ton of production in three seasons at Clemson, recording 25 passes defended, 125 total tackles, eight forced fumbles, four sacks, and three interceptions in 1,860 defensive snaps played in that span.

Avieon will be a great compliment to a secondary already featuring Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers.

18. New York Jets: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

If he didn’t tear his ACL back in January and miss the entire 2025 season, McCoy would easily be the first corner taken in this draft. He was a first-team All-American last season, finishing with four interceptions and seven passes defended while also holding opposing QBs to a 53.6 passer rating (PFF).

With the departure of Sauce Gardner, McCoy would be a huge addition to New York’s secondary.

19. Carolina Panthers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Sadiq is the best tight end in the draft, and it’s not close. He can run, block well and has great hands. His eight receiving touchdowns was the most of any tight end in FBS, making him a big-time red zone threat, as well.

Carolina could go with a defensive player here, but quarterback Bryce Young has taken a huge step this year. A lot of that progress has to do with the addition of wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan in last year’s draft. Expect the Panthers to continue to give their young QB offensive weapons.

Kenyon Sadiq is likely to be the first tight end taken in the 2026 draft. (Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

It’s still unclear if he’ll return to school, but Simpson is the clear No. 3 QB in this draft. He’s had a mix of incredible games along with some terrible ones, but his decisiveness and accuracy are tools teams can work with. On the year, he’s thrown for 3,500 yards, 28 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He also just took down a vaunted Oklahoma defense on the road in the first round of the CFP.

Regardless of whether the Steelers re-sign Aaron Rodgers, they’ll need to draft a quarterback at some point in this draft. Simpson would be a good pick, and Pittsburgh would be a solid landing spot.

21. Dallas Cowboys: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland both dealt with injuries this season, and the Cowboys defense is giving up 253.6 passing yards per game, which is the worst mark in the league.

Cisse is a tough corner who isn’t afraid to tackle and has 10 passes defended over the past two seasons, and he gave up just 18 receptions and one TD in 2025 (PFF).

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Yup, Fano isn’t the only stud offensive lineman for the Utes. Lomu gave up just two sacks in 807 pass-blocking snaps over the past two seasons and is a high-ceiling prospect, having just 28 collegiate games under his belt.

Despite Lane Johnson’s dominance, he’s 35 years old and likely doesn’t have too many years left. Lomu is a more game-ready version of Jordan Mailata, who the Eagles drafted in 2018 as a project player and made First Team All-Pro last season.

23. Houston Texans: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

Sheldon Rankins has been a surprising bright spot this season, but he’s 31 years old and on a one-year deal. McDonald has been an absolute monster in the middle of Ohio State’s defensive line, which is holding opponents to 8.2 points per game and 84.5 rush yards per game.

The 6-foot-3, 326-pound defensive tackle has three sacks and two forced fumbles on the year.

24. Buffalo Bills: Makai Lemon, WR, USC

It’s amazing what Josh Allen has done despite not having a go-to deep threat in Buffalo. While Keon Coleman has shown flashes, he hasn’t been consistent or reliable enough.

Lemon won this year’s Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the best wide receiver in college football. He can also play in the slot and is tough to tackle, having also rushed for two scores on the year. In fact, he’s the only player in all of FBS to have caught 10 touchdowns and have multiple rushing scores, as well.

Makai Lemon is coming off another stellar season for USC. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)

25. Los Angeles Chargers: Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon

Uigagalelei is an ultra-strong player at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, and he posted a whopping 10.5 sacks in 2024 with five so far this year. He can play both inside and out, possessing all the tools to be a dominant run stopper and pass rusher.

He has “John Harbaugh player” written all over him.

26. San Francisco 49ers: A’Mauri Washington, DL, Oregon

Washington has quickly risen up draft boards after a dominant campaign with the Ducks in his first season as a full-time starter, exhibiting elite power and quickness for someone who’s 6-foot-3, 330 pounds. If he can continue to build on his season with some dominant run-stopping play in the CFP, he could find himself in the top 20 by April.

27. Cleveland Browns: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Tyson could easily go top 10 or 15 in this draft, depending on how badly teams want a receiver. Tate is the clear-cut No. 1 receiver, though, so expect Tyson to fall into the end of the first round as most teams need help in the trenches or on defense.

Tyson is a big-bodied receiver at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, and he catches everything thrown at him, serving as just the type of explosive playmaker Cleveland so desperately needs. In two seasons with ASU, he’s caught 136 balls for 1,812 yards and a whopping 18 touchdowns.

28. Los Angeles Rams: Caleb Banks, DL, Florida

It’s not often you see an interior lineman lead your team in pressures, but that’s just what Banks did for Florida in 2024 with 29. He also added 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He only played three games this season due to injury, but he has all the tools to dominate at the next level with his 6-foot-6, 330-pound frame. This would be a steal for the Rams to add to a defense that already features several young stars.

29. Chicago Bears: LT Overton, EDGE, Alabama

Overton fits the mold of all the past Alabama defensive linemen over the past decade in that he’s incredibly athletic, nasty, physical and relentless.

At 6-foot-5, 283 pounds, he can play inside and can thrive in multiple schemes. Chicago can go with an offensive player here, but Overton has the potential to be a game-wrecker for it if he’s available.

30. New England Patriots: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

Like most of Clemson’s stars this season, Parker had a less productive 2025, only finishing with five sacks and 37 tackles. His 2024 tape is undeniable, though, with 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. He’s showcased above-average bend during his time at Clemson and can also drop in coverage. Parker’s 12.5 tackles for loss in 2023 were also a school record for a true freshman.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel could very well fulfill all the potential scouts saw in him going into the season.

31. Seattle Seahawks: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M

Howell ranks fourth in FBS in sacks since 2022 with 27 to his name in that span, but he’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-2, 248 pounds. Still, he has an incredible burst off the edge and would be a great supplement to 33-year-old DeMarcus Lawrence, who has two years left on his contract with Seattle.

32. Denver Broncos: Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State

There isn’t much Denver needs, currently sitting at 13-3. But Ioane is easily the best guard in the draft and could be a steal for them, as Ben Powers only has one year left on his contract after 2025.

This season, Ioane was the only Big Ten guard to play 300+ pass blocking snaps, record a pass block grade of 87+ and not give up a single sack or QB hit.

No. 1 Overall Pick Odds:

Fernando Mendoza: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)
Dante Moore: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)
Rueben Bain Jr.: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Arvell Reese: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Ty Simpson: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Keldric Faulk: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Jordyn Tyson: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Francis Mauigoa: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
T.J. Parker: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Spencer Fano: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Peter Woods: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
David Bailey: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Cashius Howell: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Garrett Nussmeier: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Drew Allar: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Carson Beck: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Carnell Tate: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Caleb Downs: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)

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NIL

College football’s leading passer seen as match for SEC program in transfer portal

Published

56 minutes ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Drew Mestemaker finished this season as the most-productive single passer in college football, and now the former North Texas quarterback is poised to enter the transfer portal, setting off a bonanza to secure one of the nation’s most consequential players.

What college football programs are expected to be involved in the bidding? When considering an ideal matchup pairing, one major SEC program currently sticks out.

On3 Sports analyst Kaiden Smith outlined what he thinks is the best destination for both parties.

Mestemaker to Rocky Top?

“If you’re Tennessee, you have this excellent track record with this offense, with transfer quarterbacks. Why not get a guy who you can get a couple years out of, as well?” Smith said.

“Parlay your offense and your transfer success with a guy who apparently is very early on his football journey in general,” he added.

What Mestemaker has done

Mestemaker led the FBS with 4,129 passing yards and was third in passer rating, placing behind just Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza and finalist Julian Sayin.

He completed 70 percent of his pass attempts with 31 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions, being named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year, leading North Texas to an appearance in the league title game.

But head coach Eric Morris left the school and took the same position at Oklahoma State, so that program could emerge as a contender for the quarterback.

Tennessee’s recent success

Recruiting transfer quarterbacks is something Tennessee has done well over the last several seasons, bringing on Hendon Hooker and then Joey Aguilar to lead productive offenses.

But both those players didn’t get to suit up for the Vols for too long. Bringing on Mestemaker would represent a longer-term investment in a very promising player.

“I think this is a guy that not only would fit perfectly with the scheme, with how quickly players have been able to understand the scheme,” Smith said.

He added: “You get a full offseason with him. But he can maybe build on that and build on that for years to come as just a redshirt freshman.”

Where the Vols are at QB

Aguilar is about to exhaust his NCAA eligibility and with precious little experience remaining on its quarterback depth chart, Tennessee is very much in the market for a signal caller with proven experience as a starter.

Aguilar is likely on the way out and redshirt freshman Jake Merlinger is planning to enter the transfer portal.

That leaves George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon on the Volunteers’ expected quarterback depth chart heading into 2026.

MacIntyre has played in just two games, going 7 of 9 passing with 69 yards, and Brandon was a five-star commitment in the 2026 class, but with no NCAA experience.

Tennessee could look at Mestemaker as a proven commodity worth going after now rather than waiting for their prospects to develop.

Mestemaker is only a redshirt freshman with three seasons of NCAA eligibility remaining. Tennessee going after him could potentially inspire both MacIntyre and ultimately Brandon to leave the program.

So the question for the Vols would be if he’s worth that risk.

How the college football transfer portal works

College football’s transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, but that hasn’t stopped a flurry of players from entering their names for consideration at a new school right now.

The new 15-day transfer portal window from Jan. 2-16 and the elimination of the spring transfer period has condensed the timeline for players and programs to make their moves.

The NCAA Transfer Portal is a private database that includes the names of student-athletes in every sport at the Division I, II, and III levels. The full list of names is not available to the public.

A player can enter their name into the transfer portal through their school’s compliance office.

Once a player gives written notification of their intent to transfer, the office puts the player’s name into the database, and they officially become a transfer.

The compliance office has 48 hours to comply with the player’s request and NCAA rules forbid anyone from refusing that request.

The database includes the player’s name, contact information, info on whether the player was on scholarship, and if he is a graduate student.

Once a player’s name appears in the transfer portal database, other schools are free to contact the player, who can change his mind at any point in the process and withdraw from the transfer portal.

Notably, once a player enters the portal, his school no longer has to honor the athletic scholarship it gave him.

And if that player decides to leave the portal and return to his original school, the school doesn’t have to give him another scholarship.

(On3)

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NIL

Selecting ASU Alum That Can Change NIL Outlook

Published

2 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

lnn — Dec 7, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Stanford Cardinal alum and professional golfer Phil Mickelson on the sidelines against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

csscsc — Dec 7, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Stanford Cardinal alum and professional golfer Phil Mickelson on the sidelines against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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NIL

Who’s leaving Duke football as transfer portal opens Jan. 2

Published

3 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Duke’s Peyton Jones runs the ball during the second half of the Blue Devils’ 45-17 win over Elon on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.

Kaitlin McKeown

The News & Observer

With roster management and player retention a big part of coaches’ jobs, Duke’s Manny Diaz had some good news to share at Christmastime: Quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Cooper Barkate are both returning for the 2026 football season.

Mensah, a redshirt sophomore this season and the ACC’s leading passer, had talked with Diaz and others about his NFL possibilities. But the former Tulane transfer decided to come back for a second year with the Blue Devils, where he again is expected to receive one of the top NIL packages in college football.

Barkate, who transferred to Duke from Harvard before last season, had 68 catches for 1,069 yards for the 2025 ACC champions, averaging 15.7 yards a grab, and scored six touchdowns.

The Blue Devils, who face Arizona State in the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, had just three players miss bowl practices, according to Diaz. One was offensive tackle Brian Parker II, who announced he would leave Duke early to enter the NFL Draft. Cornerback Chandler Rivers and defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr., also are preparing for the 2026 draft.

Duke also has another departure: running backs coach Chris Foster, who has joined the Florida staff after one year on the Diaz staff.

“The situation is always fluid, but I expect our retention rate to be very good, again,” Diaz said. Here’s a look at who the Devils will have leaving when the NCAA transfer portal opens Jan. 2:

Entering the portal

RB Peyton Jones: Became something of a forgotten man in the offense in 2025 with the emergence of Nate Sheppard and power running of transfer Anderson Castle. Played in four games after being Star Thomas’ backup in 2024 and rushing for 317 yards.

TE Vance Bolyard: The redshirt sophomore from Greensboro was used primarily on special teams in 2025. Played in 10 games in 2024.

OL Jack Small: A redshirt freshman this year, the 6-6, 300-pounder was used in just two games.

S Kenzy Paul: Redshirt junior saw little action in the secondary this season, playing in one game, the win over Clemson.

S Maliki Wright: Did not play as a freshman this past season.

CB Kyren Condoll: The California native played in one game in 2024 and again saw little action this season.

CB Vontae Floyd: Limited to three games because of injury in 2025, the sophomore played in 11 games in 2024 and was one of four true freshmen to letter for Devils.

DT Terry Simmons Jr.: The redshirt sophomore, a 6-2, 305-pounder, played nine games in 2025 as a backup defensive tackle and was at Duke for three seasons.

Chip Alexander

The News & Observer

In more than 40 years at The N&O, Chip Alexander has covered the N.C. State, UNC, Duke and East Carolina beats, and now is in his 15th season on the Carolina Hurricanes beat. Alexander, who has won numerous writing awards at the state and national level, covered the Hurricanes’ move to North Carolina in 1997 and was a part of The N&O’s coverage of the Canes’ 2006 Stanley Cup run.

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NIL

OU lineman Danny Okoye face of NIL deal to tout life-saving Narcan

Published

4 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dec. 26, 2025, 5:40 a.m. CT

NORMAN – For University of Oklahoma defensive lineman Danny Okoye, his current spot – as the face of a social media campaign seeking to spread awareness of a life-saving drug for those who have overdosed on opioids – was a case of fortuitous timing.

Okoye is the first of a series of OU student-athletes who will participate in an NIL (name, image and likeness) deal with the nonprofit HarborPath of Charlotte, North Carolina, to promote Narcan, the brand name under which the generic drug naloxone is distributed.

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