North Carolina Football 2026 Top 30 Players: No. 23

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Despite hiring Bill Belichick as head coach prior to last season, the North Carolina Tar Heels struggled mightily, compiling a 4-8 record and finishing 13th in the ACC.

While the 74-year-old head coach obviously had other plans for his first season in Chapel Hill, he was honest about what led to the team's disappointing 2025 campaign.

Belichick's Thoughts

• "Well, what I expect is for us and them to get better every day, you know, to get stronger, to get faster, to be more explosive, to be better fundamentally, to be, you know, better technique football players," Belichick said.

• "That's what I expect from them. We have a good group of kids, they work hard, they are, you know, they're pretty smart. I mean, they, you know, go to class, they do well academically, they, you know, they try to do what we ask them to do."

• "And the group last year, I mean, I wouldn't say they were, like, disrespectful, that's not the right word, but it was just different," Belichick continued. "It was like they were recruited by somebody else; they came here for somebody else."

• "I was new, they were leaving, you know. It wasn't a bad relationship, but it wasn't a great one," Belichick elaborated. "There wasn't the same kind of adhesion that there is to guys that you bring in, that come there because of you, because they want to be with you. And then you grow together."

Can North Carolina Rebuild Culture?

The Tar Heels, specifically Belichick, are facing an uphill battle to restore the football program's image and expectations after last season. With that being said, the Tar Heels' brass, including Bill Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi, did a solid job of assembling a complete roster heading into the 2026-27 college football season.

Yes, there are still areas that leave much to be desired, but when comparing last season's roster to this season's, it is evident that this year's team is in a much better spot. While I have been extremely critical of Belichick since he took over as North Carolina's head coach, I do believe this offseason should provide some hope for Tar Heel fans. Again, I don't expect North Carolina to fully bounce back this upcoming season, but the operation should improve.

With all of that in mind, here is the continuation of our countdown of the top 30 players on the Tar Heels' 2026-27 roster. Here is who slots in at No. 23 heading into a pivotal 2026 season in Chapel Hill.

North Carolina Top 30: No. 23 RT Shaq McRoy

Shortly after the transfer portal window officially opened at the beginning of the offseason, the Tar Heels ensured that their offensive line would not be a weak link on the roster moving forward. Lombardi and the front office delivered on that, acquiring several offensive linemen in the portal, including the former Arkansas tackle.

Hiring Bobby Petrino as the primary play-caller not only potentially revitalizes what has been a dormant offense, but the longtime coach was also a major influence on McRoy's commitment to North Carolina.

• "I wanted to follow [Bobby] Petrino," McRoy said. "The pro-style and Coach [Bill] Belichick. And then the whole staff are mostly [New England] Patriots, so that's the most NFL you could get in college. I just felt that from a developmental standpoint, this was the best choice for me."

• "He gave me a touchdown," McRoy said about a touchdown he scored. "So, what offensive lineman won't want to play for an offensive coordinator who's handing you the ball?"

The 6-foot-8, 344-pound offensive tackle is another example of a player with not a ton of experience, but when given the opportunity, has shown what he is capable of.

This past season, McRoy featured in six games, including one start. During that span, the sophomore right tackle logged 58 snaps. Again, not a large sample size, which makes McRoy's addition to the roster somewhat of a risky signing by the Tar Heels. However, McRoy could develop into a sturdy right tackle for North Carolina at that physical stature.

McRoy joining Petrino at North Carolina will provide a sense of familiarity for the offensive tackle as he transitions from the SEC to the ACC, a step down in competition.

McRoy's Importance

Imposing your will in the trenches along both lines of scrimmage has become the most important factor when watching how games at both the college and pro levels unfold. That goes back to North Carolina's approach this offseason, prioritizing the offensive line as the first order of business in the transfer portal.

In 2025, the Tar Heels' offensive line was simply not good enough, and while quarterback play and play-calling contributed to the offense's dysfunction, poor protection up front was also part of the problem.

With an incoming freshman quarterback in Travis Burgess and overall ambiguity at the position, with Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles O'Neill headlining, strong offensive line play is required if the Tar Heels' offense wants to reach the heights it wanted to last season.

Barring anything unforeseen, such as an injury or a surprise development from a player lower on the depth chart, McRoy projects to be the Tar Heels' starting right tackle. With several moving parts across the roster, North Carolina's offensive line needs to be a stabilizing force for a team dealing with multiple uncertainties heading into this upcoming season.

McRoy may not have the production profile and overall experience, but he possesses the skill set and physical tools to develop into a consistent offensive tackle. The former Arkansas tackle lined up predominantly at right tackle under Petrino, so if there are injuries or developments along the offensive line that put the Tar Heels in a bind, we should not expect McRoy to move from his position.

North Carolina added multiple offensive linemen with the ability to maneuver around the front line, depending on what transpires as the season unfolds. Nevertheless, McRoy is expected to be an instrumental piece on the offensive line, and we will learn a lot about his potential during training camp.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/unc as North Carolina Football 2026 Top 30 Players: No. 23.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos