Three UNC Freshmen Fans Need To Be Excited About

The North Carolina Tar Heels head into the summer hoping to continue team bonding and chemistry with more roster turnover this offseason. The biggest difference is that the talent has been established, and the number of incoming transfers is fewer, thanks to a strong recruiting class in Bill Belichick's second season.

Expectations for the Tar Heels should be about gradual improvement, and the first full class of Belichick's short tenure at Chapel Hill provides an opportunity to help with this. There are several incoming freshmen who have raised eyebrows as part of the 2026 recruiting class, some of whom could find themselves with significant playing time this fall.

Nov 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick with Stanford Cardinal head coach Frank Reich after the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

With that in mind, here are three incoming freshmen to get excited about as the Tar Heels inch closer to summer break.

Travis Burgess, Quarterback

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A 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 at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

A talented four-star recruit from Loganville, Georgia, Burgess has a chance to accelerate up the depth chart and eventually become the backup to presumptive starter Billy Edwards. Burgess is coming off a torn ACL he suffered just a couple of games into his senior season, and even if he were to redshirt, there is much to be excited about with the Grayson High School standout.

Burgess is incredibly dynamic with the football and has flashed an impressive arm, reaching all three levels of the field. If he continues to impress during the summer with rehab and fall camp activities, he could find himself on the field quickly.

Vodney Cleveland, Defensive Tackle

UNC football coach Bill Belichick during a press conference ahead of the Tar Heels' first spring practice on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. | Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cleveland feels like a great, safe bet to be a potential rotational piece or starter up front for the Tar Heels' defense. A younger recruit with outstanding size and length, Cleveland is going to eat gaps for breakfast at the next level, showcasing the mass, stout power, and length to overwhelm blockers at the point of attack. The No. 27-ranked defensive lineman in the country was heavily pursued by big programs, but landed with Belichick with the hopes of being a starter early in his college career.

DQ Forkpa, Linebacker

The linebacker room at UNC is less than ideal. It is part of why many expect this side of the ball to be a weakness in 2026 unless defensive playcall Steve Belichick can coach a masterful performance throughout the regular season. That means younger, more energetic players such as Forkpa could find themselves on the field quickly.

Forkpa, a four-star recruit out of Baltimore, is a bit of a hybrid defender with pass rush ability and off-ball skills to fit the run and close to the ball carrier quickly. If he continues to develop well during the offseason, he could be sized up for a good role this season.

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