Bill Belichick Brings NFL Roster-Building Tactics to North Carolina

Belichick is approaching his first North Carolina roster the same way he managed the New England Patriots for more than two decades — with precision, hard decisions and an eye for value.

He’s balancing scholarships and walk-ons, trimming the roster months before the season to meet the NCAA’s 105-player limit. Thanks to the NCAA’s grandfather clause, several former walk-ons still count toward the roster but not the scholarship cap, which gives him and his staff more flexibility to shape the team.

“Obviously, most of them will be on scholarship. But there are some guys that are kind of in that gray area,” Belichick said. “Maybe they can earn a scholarship, depending on what their role is and so forth. So from a numbers standpoint, we're in good shape. Like, we're not going to have to release players to get to the 105. We already kind of did that in the spring, which was a difficult decision to make.”

Instead of just filling a depth chart, Belichick evaluates every player’s value — from superstar players to “bottom of the roster” prospects who could eventually contribute.

“Love those bottom of the roster questions,” Belichick said. “A lot of people let that stuff go. But honestly, those are important decisions. Some of those players eventually are going to end up helping us. To me, those players are just as important as the top 10. They’re going to have roles. We’re constantly trying to make sure we, from top to bottom, do the best we can.”

Belichick’s methods are similar to his days as the de facto general manager in New England, where cutting ties from a player early was better than waiting too long. That philosophy extends to the transfer portal, which is similar to free agency in the NFL where you could add talent at any position if the player can compete and contribute immediately. Quarterback Gio Lopez is a recent example.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick speaking to the press before the Tar Heels' first practice of fall camp on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, Nirth Carolina Tar Heels on SI

“We’ve had plenty of free agents and low-round draft picks who not only competed and earned playing time, but became some of our best players,” Belichick said. “If a player wants to come in, compete, and has shown enough skill, we’ll take him — and we’ve done that many times. But entitlement isn’t one of them. If someone walks in thinking they’re guaranteed a starting spot or anything else, that’s not how it works here.”

“They’re going to have to earn it,” he added. “If they want playing time, a roster spot, and the chance to play at Carolina in the ACC, we’ll give them that opportunity — but they’ll have to prove themselves. Nothing will be handed out, just like nobody gives away wins in this conference.”

Belichick said the next transfer portal cycle will be more exclusive as he will look for more high-quality players rather than players that will fill a roster spot.

“In the second portal, we’re simply looking for good football players,” he said. “At any position, if a player wants to come in and compete — and we believe he’s a good fit — this is the right place for him. Everyone will have the opportunity to compete, and that’s been the standard throughout my career.”

Belichick is using the same tactics in Chapel Hill that he used to build New England’s roster in Foxborough for decades in the NFL — value over hype, competition over entitlement, and constant evaluation from top to bottom.

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