Former UNC Football Top Recruit Could Be on Outside Again

Here's a former top recruit who will likely be on the outside looking in.

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

The North Carolina Tar Heels football program hasn't been known for its recruiting prowess, but this offseason, the front office compiled one of the better classes in the country.

Over the years, the Tar Heels have landed several top prospects in the recruiting class. Last offseason, North Carolina signed multiple highly ranked recruits. Here's one who is on the outside looking in once again, heading into the 2026-27 college football season.

Au'Tori Newkirk

Nov 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Au'Tori Newkirk (10) runs with the ball past NC State Wolfpack linebacker Jr. Kenny Soares (33) and linebacker Zane Williams (30) at the end zone during the second half of the game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The former 4-star quarterback saw limited action in 2025, completing 3-of-6 passes for 23 yards, one touchdown, and one interception across two brief outings. With Gio Lopez transferring to Wake Forest, the Tar Heels needed to address the quarterback room this offseason.

North Carolina signed Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles O'Neill in the transfer portal while landing 4-star quarterback Travis Burgess. Those three acquisitions pushed Newkirk back to fourth on the depth chart, shutting the door on any possibility of him starting.

Nov 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sideline during the second half of the game against NC State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Edwards Jr. won the starting job over O'Neill, and Burgess is clearly the preferred option for the future. It's safe to say that Newkirk is on track to be a depth piece in the quarterback room for the majority of his collegiate career. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback is not talented or productive enough to usurp the aforementioned names in the quarterback room.

We saw a glimpse of what Newkirk can offer this offense, and it was evident that the sophomore quarterback isn't yet good enough to lead it.

Why This Matters

Dec 27, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels white helmet during pregame warm ups against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Newkirk won't start for the Tar Heels, barring an unforeseen chain of injuries to Edwards Jr., O'Neill, and Burgess. Although there are major question marks with Edwards Jr. as the starting quarterback, the depth at that position is robust. So, while Newkirk is nowhere near the caliber of a starter at the collegiate level, he is a serviceable fourth-string signal caller.

Last season, North Carolina deployed several quarterbacks under center, as every option was subpar. This season, the Tar Heels hope that there's not much turnover in the quarterback room. Ideally, Edwards Jr. proves to be the correct choice and starts the entire season.

As for what this means for Newkirk, barring a catastrophic disaster, he won't see the field at all in  2026. It wouldn't be surprising to see the 2025 recruit enter the transfer portal next offseason. Burgess will likely take over the starting role in 2027, and O'Neill could be the backup.