According to reports from ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Inside Carolina, quarterback Billy Edwards, Jr. has committed to head coach Bill Belichick and UNC out of the transfer portal. Edwards is the first player in the current cycle to commit to the Tar Heels out of the portal, which opened Jan. 2.

Edwards has spent time at three schools, beginning his collegiate career at Wake Forest in 2021 and redshirting that year before spending the next three seasons at Maryland. After spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons as a reserve, Edwards put together a productive season as the Terrapins’ starter in 2024 as a redshirt junior. His 262 passing yards per game ranked third in the Big Ten and he eclipsed the 300-yard mark four times, with a career-high 373 in a 29-28 home win against USC. He threw 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for five more scores.

Edwards stayed in the Big Ten in 2025 with a transfer to Wisconsin and began the season as the Badgers’ starter, but a knee injury in the first game of the season cut his campaign short. He would only appear in one more game that year, in which he re-aggravated the same injury. He would redshirt the 2025 season, meaning 2026 will be his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Edwards joins a UNC quarterback room in flux. Starter Gio Lopez reportedly plans to return in 2026, but the program is losing primary backup Max Johnson along with highly-touted freshman Bryce Baker. Third-stringer Au’Tori Newkirk has not confirmed his return to Chapel Hill, but at the time of publication has not entered his name into the transfer portal.

 

Featured image via Maryland Athletics

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