PIC: Elite edge rusher Luke Wafle shares smiles with Bill Belichick as he visits UNC during recruitment process

Luke Wafle, a highly sought-after four-star defensive end from the Hun School in Princeton, NJ, recently made a crucial stop at the University of North Carolina as part of his recruiting journey.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 245 pounds, Wafle has garnered attention from powerhouse programs such as Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami, and Georgia.

During his visit, Wafle had the opportunity to meet with UNC’s new coach, Bill Belichick. The Tar Heels are among the schools making a strong push for Wafle, who revealed to On3:

“The schools I talk to the most right now are Penn State, Ohio State, Texas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Nebraska.”

Belichick wasted no time diving into recruiting following the opening of the contact period in December 2024. He spent the early days of the week scouting talent in North Carolina before heading to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where he issued several scholarship offers. According to "Tar Heel Illustrated," the veteran coach extended offers to 11 prospects spanning the 2026, 2027, and 2028 recruiting classes.

UNC’s recruiting class under Belichick has already seen notable improvements. Initially ranked outside the top 75, the 2025 class has climbed to No. 51 nationally, with 28 signees.

Additionally, UNC boasts the No. 14-ranked transfer portal class, having added 18 new players. Among the top recruits pursued by Belichick is Devin Fitzgerald.

Meanwhile, Texas continues strengthening its ties with Wafle. At 6-foot-5.5 and 245 pounds, the No. 49 overall prospect maintains a strong connection with Texas coaches Kyle Flood and Pete Kwiatkowski as he maps out his spring visits.

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UNC football surges in recruiting under Bill Belichick’s leadership

North Carolina football is quickly emerging as a major recruiting force under the leadership of legendary head coach Bill Belichick. Prioritizing character over physical attributes, Belichick is applying a different strategy than he used in the NFL draft.

"Well, it's a little different than what I did with draft prospects, because there is a drafting element, but we also recruited a lot of players who weren't drafted, guys like David Andrews, who wasn't drafted, who's the starting center for the Patriots the last nine years that Mike and I recruited out of Georgia as an undrafted player," Belichick told On3.

He also praised high school coaches for their contributions to player development, stating,

"So there was an element of that in the NFL. But yeah, I've been very impressed with all the people that have come in contact with the high school coaches, both in and out of state, do a great job with their programs, with their players, and accommodating us."

Since taking over in December, Bill Belichick has drastically improved UNC’s recruiting. In just two months, he transformed an underwhelming class and assembled a strong transfer portal group with 18 additions.

Earlier this week, 2026 wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald, son of future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, announced he had received an offer from the Tar Heels.