All Tar Heels

UNC Remains Strong Despite OL Committing Elsewhere

North Carolina's string of bad luck continues as they lost another recruit.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson (94) celebrtates with defensive tackle D'Antre Robinson (6) after making a sack in the second quarer at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson (94) celebrtates with defensive tackle D'Antre Robinson (6) after making a sack in the second quarer at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In this story:

North Carolina Tar Heels

On the surface, losing a three-star offensive lineman doesn't seem like that big of a deal. For North Carolina, this is the third recruit they've lost in the span of just a few days. Sure, they had an extremely large Class of 2026, but that doesn't excuse them from losing players left and right.

Mason Wilhelm, an Ohio native, knew that Ohio State was going to be his destination the second they offered. They were extremely late to the party, but the Buckeyes proved to be enough for Wilhelm to flip his commitment.

The 6'4'' 285-pound interior offensive lineman committed to UNC back on June 1, 2025. Five months later, he's no longer with the team. This has become normal in the modern era of college football, and Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick is forced to maneuver his way past that.

UNC Continues To Lose Recruits

Ultimately, losing a trio of three-star recruits is not the end of the world. North Carolina still has the No. 15 Class of '26, but they cannot allow this to become a pattern. One bad stretch of days could lead into other recruits deciding to go elsewhere as well, which is something they can't afford.

UNC extended an offer to Wilhelm on April 2, and he visited the very next month. He wasted no time pledging his commitment to the Tar Heels, but that proved to be only a short-term commitment. While he never officially announced an offer from Ohio State until he flipped, the Buckeyes have been in constant contact.

When it came to this battle, North Carolina never stood a chance. Wilhelm's father, Matt, played for the Buckeyes from 1999-2002. He'd visited numerous times in the past, including in January when they took home the National Championship.

Life Goes On For The Tar Heels

Just when they were putting everything together on the field, their recruiting set them back. Belichick's Class of 2026 mostly remains in-tact, and he still has four interior lineman on the way. That doesn't include any of the other positions in the trenches such as offensive tackles.

Moving forward, UNC needs to be mindful of how many players they are losing. With such a large Class of '26, they allowed themselves room to lose a player from time to time. If this bad stretch continues, all of their hard work will have been for nothing.

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

At the end of the day, Belichick is only around to win a National Championship, something he can't do if players are deciding not to stick around.

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.