Breaking down North Carolina’s roster: What exactly did HC Bill Belichick take on?

Larkdight Studios
Sep 1
2 min read

Larkdight Studios UNC Tar Heels' Program Rebuild (Season 1) September 1, 2025 1:00PM CST

Coach Belichick is looking to prove himself once again. He could have rode off into the sunset with his Super Bowl rings and his smoking hot 20-something-year-old model girlfriend, but he still would have been missing what he loves; football. He and Michael Lombardi (Tar Heels’ GM) are looking to bring their NFL experience into this newly growing college football world, treating the program like it’s an actual NFL football business instead of a collegiate program. He and GM Lombardi will be sorting through hours and hours of tape to evaluate each and every position to determine who they believe can best represent what it is they’re looking for this Tar Heels’ team to be. Nobody expects a lot in the first season, especially since HC Belichick and GM Lombardi came on late, but give them a full season of recruiting and you’ll start to see exactly what it is they believe can win in College Football. Before we get there though, let’s first take a look at this year’s roster that they are sorting through.

QUARTERBACKS

Max Johnson (Sr)
Gio Lopez (Fr TR)
Tyler Chambers (Fr)
Deandrew Clark (Fr)
Bryce Baker (Fr)

RUNNING BACKS

Caleb Hood (Sr)
Benjamin Hall (Jr)
Charleston French (So)
Davion Gause (So)

FULLBACKS

Paris Burroughs (Sr)

WIDE RECIEVERS

Kobe Paysour (Sr TR)
Chris Culliver (Jr)
Aziah Johnson (So)
Jordan Shipp (So)
Paul Billups II (So)
Nathan Leacock (Fr)
Alex Taylor (Fr)
Javarius Green (Fr)
Adrian Wilson (Fr)
Jason Robinson Jr (Fr)

TIGHT ENDS

Jordan Owens (Sr)
Spencer Triplett (Sr)
Jake Johnson (Jr)
Shamar Easter (So)
Connor Cox (So)
Gannon Burt (So)

TACKLES

Treyvon Green (Jr)
Will O’Steen (Jr)
William Boone (Jr)
Caleb Stepper (Jr)
Miles McVay (So)
Luke Masterson (Fr)
Jani Norwood (Fr)

GUARDS

Chad Linberg (Sr)
Daniel King (Sr)
Jakai Moore (Sr)
Aidan Banfield (So)
Nate Houston (Fr)
Byron Nelson (Fr)

CENTERS

Christo Kelly (Sr)
Austion Blaske (Sr)
Bo Burkes (Jr)

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

Isaiah Johnson (Jr)
CJ Mims (Jr)
D’Antre Robinson (So)
Ladell Grant (Fr)
Peter Pesansky (Fr)
Ken Whittington (Fr)

EDGE RUSHERS

Pryce Yates (Sr)
Smith Vilbert (Sr)
Vincent Tolley (So)
Jaybron Harvey (So)
Manny Sullivan (So)
Nicco Maggio (Fr)
Aric Daniels (Fr)
Daniel Anderson (Fr)

LINEBACKERS

Mikai Gbayor (Sr)
Andrew Simpson (Jr)
Gibson Macrae (Jr)
Cade Law (Jr)
Melvin Winburn (Jr)
Khmori House (So TR)
Tyler Houser (Fr)
Evan Bennett (Fr)
Timir Hichman-Collins (Fr)

CORNERBACKS

Marcus Allen (Sr)
Thaddeus Dixon (Sr)
Kaleb Cost (Jr)
Ty Adams (So)
Jalon Thompson (So)
Khalil Conley (Fr)

SAFETIES

Gavin Gibson (Sr)
Kevin Kellwood (Sr)
Will Hardy (Sr)
Coleman Bryson (Jr)
Jaiden Patterson (So)
Malcom Ziglar (So)
Peyton Waters (So)
Kristian Dunbar-Hawkins (Fr)
Gregory Smith III (Fr)
Javion Butts (Fr)

KICKERS

Rece Verhoff (Jr)
Eric Foute (Fr)

PUNTERS

Tom Maginness (Sr)
Garret Maddox (Sr)

COACHING STAFF

HC Bill Belichick (0yr) | C- | Tactician
OC Freddie Kitchens (0yr) | B | Talent Developer
DC Stephen Belichick (0yr) | B+ | Strategist