One UNC Football Position Battle To Watch Closely During Camp

A big season is ahead for the North Carolina Tar Heels as they look to reinvent their image. The 2025 season did major damage to the program's public perception after drama, controversy, and, at times, lowly play, led to an underwhelming four-win season in Bill Belichick's first year as head coach.

The future Pro Football Hall of Famer got busy in the transfer portal, adding several key players while retaining a hefty amount of talent and depth from last year's squad. The quarterback position is the one group that has turned the most eyes, as Wisconsin's Billy Edwards Jr., Texas A&M's Miles O'Neill, and true freshman Travis Burgess battle it out to lead the Tar Heels' offense in 2026.

Quarterback Is Important, but One Position Could Prove Wildly Competitive

Injured Wisconsin quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) is shown during the second quarter of the game against Middle Tennessee Saturday, September 6, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Finding the team's starting quarterback for Week 0 and, at least, for the first handful of games of the season is critical under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who will look to turn one of the FBS's worst offenses in 2025 into the most improved this season. Quarterback is the most important position in the sport, but another position has caught my attention—more than any of the signal-callers on the roster.

When Belichick was rebuilding his offense through the portal, the tight end room had the most turnover. Three new players have come into the program at the position with high ceilings and a chance to make an immediate impact right away. It is the position group in which I happen to be the highest across the roster.

Tar Heels Have an Incredibly High Ceiling at Tight End

Thurman UN — Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Jelani Thurman (15) runs past Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Kaj Sanders (5) during the second half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 22, 2025. Ohio State won 42-9. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Shamar Easter, Texas' Jordan Washington, Colorado State's Jaxxon Warren, and Ohio State's Jelani Thurman make up North Carolina's tight end room. The latter, Thurman, is a former top TE recruit, rated the No. 3 player at his position per 247Sports in 2023, looking to earn a starting role for the first time at the collegiate level after showing occasional glimpses for the past two seasons.

Washington also flashed as an in-line blocker and pass-catcher for the Longhorns, including last fall under quarterback Arch Manning, but the production profile remains incomplete. The tight end that many are high on is Warren, a towering 6-foot-8 player with impressive athleticism and production after two games for the Rams last fall before an injury cost him the rest of the season.

Warren UNC — Aug 30, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Colorado State Rams tight end Jaxxon Warren (19) catches a touchdown pass against the Washington Huskies during the third quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The question among this group is who becomes the No. 1 and No. 2 tight ends. Petrino likes to run 12 personnel when he can, and they'll likely play out of those packages as a team expected to be a run-first offense. I'm higher on Thurman as a former top-tier recruit to take over that starting role with his versatile skill set, but nothing should come as a surprise within this group.

Whoever becomes the starting quarterback will certainly enjoy whichever tight end becomes the security blanket over the middle of the field and the seams. This group flashes as blockers in the run game and pass protection, paving the path so that whoever contributes the most to the offense will reap the benefits.

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