Three UNC Football Players With Most To Prove in 2026

While the Tar Heels football program has much to prove as a whole, these three players are the ones with the most to prove in 2026.

Nov 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick addresses the media after the second half of the game against NC State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels are a team with a ton to prove all over the roster. Heading into Year 2 of the Bill Belichick era, something must give for the program to right the ship and point it in the right direction.

The moves the program made this offseason suggest they are attempting to do just that. Some of those additions are also players with must-prove seasons as incoming transfers, and in reality, you could say the entire roster has to prove itself in 2026. There is so much that must go right for the Tar Heels, knowing what will happen if it doesn't for the second consecutive season.

With that in mind, let's look at three UNC football athletes who enter the upcoming season in must-prove positions.

Nathan Leacock, Wide Receiver

Tennessee wide receiver Nathan Leacock (85) is seen during a Tennessee Vols spring football practice, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

A former blue-chip recruit for the Tennessee Volunteers, Leacock has all the talent to be an impact wide receiver in college football. The top-100 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class is getting his first shot this season at becoming a key contributor to his team's offense, this time in Chapel Hill for Belichick and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino.

Leacock steps into a bigger role in 2026 as one of the top-three wideouts heading into the season-opener against TCU. This is a big "prove-it" year for the former Volunteer and Purdue Boilermaker.

Donovan Hoilette, Edge Rusher

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) passes the ball as Richmond Spiders defensive lineman Donovan Hoilette (8) and defensive back Devin Geronomi (22) pressure in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

We all know that Melkart Abou-Jaoude is the best defensive lineman on the roster, but who is the threat opposite of him this upcoming campaign? It could be either of the new transfers at edge rusher in Jaylen Harvey and Hoilette, but it seems as though the latter has the most to prove as a former FCS standout (sounds familiar to Abou-Jaoude last year, doesn't it?).

Hoilette's flashes in Richmond's "money game" against North Carolina clearly made an impression on Belichick. The potential is there for the Tar Heels to have a productive pass rusher in 2026.

Billy Edwards Jr., Quarterback

Aug 28, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) looks to throw a pass during the second quarter against the Miami (OH) RedHawks at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Edwards was a projected starter with the Wisconsin Badgers last fall before an injury cut his season short. Now, Edwards is looking to get another opportunity, this time as a potential starter with the Tar Heels and Petrino. A former starting signal-caller for the Maryland Terrapins, the redshirt senior enters 2026 in a battle for QB1 with Texas A&M transfer Myles O'Neil and true freshman Travis Burgess.

As the projected starter for North Carolina, Edwards will look to be a key reason for the potential improvement of their 118th-ranked scoring offense. That's a lot of pressure for a quarterback coming off a season-ending injury—maybe the most of any player on the roster at this time. This is a big "prove-it" moment for Edwards at a career inflection point.