For every college football player who does not make it to the NFL, they look for another career or create their own path. But there are a few who stick to college football in other capacities. Being one of the few, a North Carolina alumnus will be returning to the program less than three years after leaving.

Former North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Kamari Morales is making his return to the program ahead of the 2026 season. The former player was hired as the assistant director of player personnel/pro liaison. In his new role, he will manage the team’s roster, evaluate prospective recruits, and bridge the gap between college athletes and professional scouts.

“I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to come back to my alma mater. #GoHeels,” Morales said in a post on X.

Morales joined the Tar Heels from Lincoln High School, Florida, as a three-star prospect, ranked the No. 40 tight end and the No. 135 player from the state of Florida, per 247Sports Composite. After redshirting his freshman season in 2019, where he only played three games, he played for four more seasons.

He had his breakout season in his sophomore year, where his five receiving touchdowns were the most by a North Carolina tight end since 2002. He also had 24 receptions for 220 yards. He did better in his junior season in 2022, where he scored the team’s first touchdown of the season, before finishing with 29 receptions for 358 yards and four receiving touchdowns. After his senior season, he moved to Boston College, where he played football as a graduate student, recording 28 catches for 325 yards and 6 touchdowns.

He then interned at Boston College as a player personnel/recruiting assistant before becoming the director of scouting. He followed this up with a role at Virginia Tech as assistant director of high school scouting and recruiting before his latest role at UNC.

Morales returns to the Tar Heels after his 2023 exit. He would also manage evaluation tapes, generate reports on prospective student-athletes, assist with the logistics of official and unofficial visits, and ensure that all recruiting activities comply with NCAA rules.

Frantzy Jourdain previously held his role, and the program’s official website lists him as the assistant director of player personnel/pro liaison. However, Jourdain has now moved to the New England Patriots, where he works as a scout.

Morales joins a North Carolina team coming off its first season with legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick, whose debut season was nothing short of disappointing. His presence gave the program media visibility in 2025, but the team’s consistent underwhelming performances quickly eroded interest. Viewership dropped in no time, and Belichick could not have had a worse welcome to college football than a 4-8 record in his first season.

UNC’s recruiting activities

Morales has a lot of work to do in his new role, as the program’s recruitment has been discouraging recently. The recent transfer class saw the Tar Heels rank No. 64 in the nation, per On3.

Heading into the 2026 season, Belichick is more optimistic that his UNC team will be better prepared. The head coach had the chance to work with his roster, unlike last year.

Their 2027 recruiting class is currently ranked 36th in the nation and eighth in the ACC. With these, Morales has to hit the ground running immediately. Hopefully, he makes his performance a callback to his junior season in college football, when he scored the program’s first touchdown.