All Tar Heels

UNC Eyes Flip of Four‑Star OT to Boost Class

North Carolina has lined up an official visit with this four-star offensive tackle who's been committed to Florida since June.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 17, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick looks on before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick looks on before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

In this story:

North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina is looking to do everything in their power to take advantage of the chaos in Florida. After the Gators fired their head coach, Billy Napier, not only do they owe him $20+ million, but they're also on the verge of losing some key recruits.

One of those is Tyler Chukuyem, a 6'6'' 290-pound offensive tackle. Chukuyem, a Douglasville, GA, native, is a highly touted four-star player in the Class of 2026. On October 25, he's set to attend UNC's game against Virginia.

Can Bill Belichick Flip The Four-Star?

Plenty of Tar Heels fans have complained about the state of UNC's football program, though it seems to be nothing in comparison to Florida's. Napier, who has a 62-35 career head coaching record, was fired after the Gators' 23-21 win over Mississippi State.

Florida's three-game losing streak to USF, LSU, and Miami sealed his fate. While they were able to beat Texas, they followed it up with a 17-point loss to Texas A&M. At the end of the day, there are no excuses for Napier, but Florida has to deal with the gauntlet that is the SEC.

Quarterback DJ Lagway has been sacked 14 times this season, once more than he was sacked in his entire 2024 campaign. The Gators offensive line is in shambles, one of many things in the program that needs extensive work. Should Florida lose out on Chukuyem, they'll be left with just two other OT's in their Class of 2026.

Looking At Tyler Chukuyem

Of the Gators' 19 commits, three of their top four-ranked players play defense. Chukuyem is their highest-ranked OT, with Chancellor Campbell not too far behind. Javarii Luckas is a bit further down the line, stuck between IOL's G'Nivre Carr and Desmond Green.

For UNC, they have the No. 16-ranked Class of 2026. A good majority of their recruits are three stars, including a pair of OTs and five IOLs.

Out of those seven players, Chukuyem is comparable to interior offensive lineman Will Conroy. Conroy, a composite three-star, according to 247Sports, has the same player rating (89) as Chukuyem.

Chukuyem currently attends South Paulding High School, where he's the No. 30 player in Georgia. He's a Top-20 offensive tackle in the Class of 2026, and now is the perfect time for Belichick to go all-in on him. Chukuyem still has his options wide open, despite being committed to the Gators for these past four months.

Please follow us on X when you click right here!

Please make sure you follow us today on our Facebook page when you click right here!

Published
Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.