North Carolina HC Bill Belichick didn’t wait long to put the 2025 season in the rearview mirror. The Tar Heels have made multiple additions to their roster. They did this by flipping a Texas 4-star commit and a 3-star Florida State decommit on the very first day of the signing window to boost their recruitment drive.

The 3-star offensive lineman, Da’Ron Parks, from Nitro, West Virginia, officially signed with UNC, Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett reported. “Can’t wait to be a part of history, go Tar Heels!🐑🐑,” said Parks. He was previously committed to Florida State since July and announced his decommitment in late November.

Parks is the No. 442 overall prospect and No. 41 IOL in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. The 6-foot-4, 360-pounder also had offers from Kentucky and Auburn, but ultimately chose Bill Belichick at UNC.

“North Carolina’s staff is elite,” said Parks after signing with UNC. “I have a lot of trust in the staff, and I think with the right guys and the staff, they can go really far within the next few years.”

Next on the list is the 4-star DL Vodney Cleveland, from Birmingham, Alabama, who made a last-minute flip from the SEC powerhouse Texas Longhorns.

The 6-foot-3 was committed to Texas since June 13, but North Carolina pursued him relentlessly throughout the summer. Even hosted him for two game-day visits to Chapel Hill. Cleveland was ranked as the No. 252 overall prospect, the No. 29 defensive lineman, and the No. 12 player in Alabama in the Rivals Industry Ranking.

“They’ve recruited me very hard even though I was committed to Texas, and they made me feel like a priority,” Cleveland told Rivals. “When I took my official visit and really understood Coach Belichick and how he’s a great coach and developer, that’s when I started thinking UNC could be the place. The opportunity to play for Coach Belichick was one of the main reasons I chose UNC. The NFL experience stood out to me. I can get a great education, and be developed – all were factors in my decision.”

It’s a big win for Bill Belichick and UNC, as both strengthen the line of scrimmage on both the offensive and defensive sides.

Belichick’s master stroke landed two of the biggest prospects of the 2026 class, showing a ray of promising future.

North Carolina’s 2026 Recruitment Class

Ranking No. 17 nationally in the 2026 recruitment class, Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels added some big names to their program. Currently, they’ve signed 40 top-class prospects to the locker room, including 10 4-star prospects. Of which Trashawn Ruffin was the first to sign with the Tar Heels in the 2026 class. He’s a 4-star DL from Mount Olive, North Carolina, ranked No. 39th DL of his class. The other notable signees of UNC include CJ Sadler, from Detroit, Michigan.

A 4-star recruit, ranked No. 5th athlete in the country, his playmaking ability could also impact UNC’s return game and even its defense at cornerback. Kenton Dopson is another interesting recruit, who was previously a 2027 CB prospect, originally committed to Miami. However, he reclassified into the 2026 class, and UNC ultimately flipped to the Tar Heels.

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Another big signee to the 2026 class is the No. 12-ranked safety, Jakob Weatherspoon, from Avon, Ohio. He was originally committed to the Buckeyes in January, but a visit to Chapel Hill in June flipped his commitment to UNC. They are 3rd in the ACC, and Bill Belichick will hope these results in actual changes in performance on the field.