North Carolina Football Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 22

The North Carolina Tar Heels are entering a monumental 2026 season after being one of the biggest disappointments in 2025, posting a 4-8 record, and finishing 13th in the ACC.

Hiring Bill Belichick as head coach always carried a moderate risk, but the administration could not foresee what would transpire in the coming months. Earlier this offseason, the 74-year-old head coach provided some insight into what led to the team's struggles last season.

Belichick's Thoughts

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the field before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Belichick began by praising this year's group of players, explaining the goals and how this team will go about business heading into offseason workouts and carrying that momentum into the start of the regular season.

“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.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Demon June (12) is wrapped by Duke Blue Devils defensive end Bryce Davis (14) during the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"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."

Sep 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick during the first quarter against the Charlotte 49ers at Jerry Richardson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The longtime NFL head coach then reflected on the team's struggles last season and how the disconnect between the coaching staff and the players contributed to the poor product on the field.

"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 said. "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. 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.”

Why North Carolina Could Bounce Back

Sep 30, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of a North Carolina Tar Heels helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As Belichick mentioned, most of the players on last season's roster were not personally recruited by the polarizing head coach. Belichick inherited the majority of the players from the previous regime, which added another layer of challenge for the newly hired head coach, as he was already making the transition from the NFL to college.

With that being said, North Carolina's brass, including general manager Michael Lombardi, did a tremendous job of identifying the top weaknesses and acknowledging that major changes were needed before the start of next season.

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-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Yes, the quarterback position leaves much to be desired, and I would argue that the Tar Heels settled on the options they brought in. However, North Carolina improved the other most important position groupings on the field, bolstering both the offensive and defensive lines, which will elevate the entire operation.

Last offseason, Lombardi discussed how the front office would navigate the transfer portal, and those sentiments were fairly reflected in the program's activity over the last several months.

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Richmond Spiders head coach Russ Huesman talks to North Carolina Tar Heels general manger Michael Lombardi and head coach Bill Belichick before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I think every time you can acquire more talent is an important window," Lombardi said. "I think we obviously have more time to prepare for it, because we wouldn't have just gotten thrown right into it. So, I think a lot of scouting is preparation. We won't know the names of those who are in the portal, but we'll have a better idea about what it takes to be in the portal and who could possibly enter, and then have an ability to evaluate them."

"And really to get things the way you want to run a program isn't to be reactive," Lombardi continued. "Al Davis used to say this all the time to me, 'the secret to all organizations and the secret to any great organization lies in the ability to anticipate problems, not react.' I think when we got in here, we were reacting to the portal. Now we can anticipate the portal, which certainly will help us."

Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi during the Bill Belichick hiring announcement at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Throughout the offseason, I have been highly skeptical of my confidence level in the direction of the program under Belichick and this coaching staff, but in terms of roster construction, I think North Carolina has had a solid offseason.

Over the last two weeks, we have counted down the top 30 players on the Tar Heels' roster heading into this upcoming season. Today, we reveal who ranks No. 22 on North Carolina and what this player means for the program in 2026. Without further ado, here is a deep-dive analysis of a pivotal asset for Belichick and the Tar Heels on a revamped roster.

North Carolina Top 30 Players: No. 22 LT Jordan Hall

The 6-foot-8, 310-pound offensive tackle only appeared in five games for the Tar Heels last season after transferring from UAB last April. While that could be a discouraging sign for Hall, he still has two years of eligibility left, and in a limited snapshot, he demonstrated he can play offensive tackle.

Entering this season, Hall is projected to be North Carolina's starting left tackle on a much-improved offensive line. Being given that responsibility would show the coaching staff's confidence in Hall holding up as the blindside blocker for whichever quarterback establishes himself as the starter in Week 1.

Hall's Importance

Wisconsin quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) makes a call at the line during the first quarter of their game against Maryland Saturday, September 20, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As we have said on multiple occasions, North Carolina's offense will be a work in progress, especially with major question marks at quarterback. The offensive line will be a major factor in the team's success next season, and with several moving parts on that unit, cohesion must be established quickly.

In 2025, the Tar Heels' offensive line was one of the several glaring holes on the roster. This season, that should not be the case, as the front office invested heavily in the offensive line, ensuring a clean pocket for the quarterback and supplying the running backs with open rushing lanes. As the left tackle, Hall will be the most important piece on the offensive line, acting as the blindside blocker for any of the three between Travis Burgess, Billy Edwards Jr., and Miles O'Neill.

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