Tar Heels Extend Offer to Elite 2027 Lineman

UNC head coach Bill Belichick and his staff have recently been making a lot of noise in the 2027 recruiting cycle as the Tar Heels continue to establish themselves as contenders for some of the top prospects in the 2027 class.

Over the past few months, UNC has extended offers to several talented 2027 recruits, most recently targeting a four-star offensive lineman from Iowa who was previously committed to Iowa State.

UNC Offers 4-Star 2027 Offensive Lineman

On Feb. 12, UNC extended an offer to Will Slagle, a four-star interior offensive lineman from Grinnell High School in Grinnell, Iowa. He shared on X that the Tar Heels’ offer came after a conversation with general manager Michael Lombardi.

After talking with @mlombardiuncgm I’m thankful to receive an offer from @UNCFootball pic.twitter.com/NSdemCkZ2j
— Will Slagle (@slagle_will) February 12, 2026

“After talking with [Michael Lombardi,] I’m thankful to receive an offer from [UNC Football],” Slagle wrote.

Slagle is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2027 class and initially committed to Iowa State in November. However, after Matt Campbell left the Cyclones for the Penn State job, the young offensive lineman decommitted from the program.

Iowa State helme — Nov 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Iowa State Cyclones helmets on the bench during the first quarter against the Kansas Jayhawks at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Since his decommitment from Iowa State, a few new programs have started targeting him, including Penn State, Miami, and now North Carolina.

Given Slagle’s previous commitment to Campbell and Iowa State, Penn State has quickly surged in his recruitment. The Nittany Lions hosted him for a Junior Day visit last month, and Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) currently gives the program the highest chance of landing him at 53.1%.

Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in the second quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Still, as of now, Slagle’s recruitment remains wide open. Although UNC’s offer comes relatively late in his recruitment, Belichick and his staff should have plenty of time to make up ground on the other program pursuing the four-star offensive lineman.

Landing multiple offensive linemen in the 2027 cycle is a priority for the Tar Heels, and Slagle would be an excellent addition to UNC’s class. Rivals’ industry rankings list him as the No. 316 overall player nationally, the No. 20 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 3 prospect in the state of Iowa.

UNC helme — Sep 13, 2019; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; A North Carolina Tar Heels helmet lays on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at BB&T Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

While the Tar Heels' offer comes at an interesting time in Slagle’s recruitment, it at the very least opens the door to the possibility of UNC landing him.

If Belichick can make a strong early impression on Slagle and continue to make progress with him over the next few months, the Tar Heels should be well-positioned to compete for one of the top offensive linemen in the 2027 class.

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