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Bill Belichick will let the new names speak for themselves.
Granted, national signing day in football isn’t what it used to be on the first Wednesday in February and every college unveiled its list of incoming freshmen who had signed letters of intent.
At Carolina, it was a big deal when Mack Brown totaled 16 seasons as the Tar Heels coach. As technology took over in recent years, the gathered media watched videos as Brown promoted each signee, and the next day came published stories about where UNC ranked in the ACC and the nation with its new recruiting class.
Belichick spent most of his time on the road since he took over in December, and it must have been all new to him. Walking the halls of high schools, he met the players he was recruiting and eventually got their commitments without showing them any of his six Super Bowl rings. We’ll see where the Hoodie’s first class of 17 freshmen and two transfers ranks.
But it is interesting because there aren’t many big names from celebrated high school programs. Belichick and his staff over the years were known as savvy evaluators to the point where players like Julian Edelman, a small college star quarterback, turned into a world championship slot receiver.
There are some of those in the Carolina class of 2025 that will likely end up playing any possible position that best fits their athletic abilities and intelligence for the game that Belichick saw more on tape than in person on the field.
Madrid Tucker, a wide receiver at Fort Myers, Florida, high school, may be an Edelman-esque player. At 5-10 and 160 pounds, he was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball) who caught 95 career passes for 1,800 yards (19 per catch) and 24 touchdowns, plus 753 rushing yards for 17 TDs.
The quarterback room when Belichick arrived had tumbleweed dancing around the carpets. Three QBs had left via the portal and the only returnee was Max Johnson, still recovering from a broken leg in his first game of the 2024 season with a prognosis unknown.
Of the at least three new signal callers, one that stands out the most on paper is Au’Tori Newkirk, who is 6-3 and 200 pounds from Norfolk, where great college athletes have grown up for years.
Newkirk led Maury High School to an undefeated season and a second consecutive Class 5 Virginia state title with a 15-0 record in 2024 and was twice the Virginia Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year. As a senior he threw for 3800 yards with 50 touchdowns while rushing for 603 yards and six more TDs. Those numbers don’t lie.
He said he was mesmerized meeting Belichick who he called the “best coach in the world” and picked Carolina because it was his pathway to the NFL.
Of course, Belichick doesn’t say much about his freshmen and transfers because, to him, talk is cheap and the results will speak volumes.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Anyone writing about college football in the state of NC should be forgiven due to lack of experience.