The latest craze in college football is about to be NFL transfer portal players, thanks to a recent court ruling. Players were recently granted a fifth season of college eligibility, and there are players on NFL rosters today who could be released before September 1st and return to college. It makes sense for undrafted free agents (UDFAs) who could better themselves with a good year in 2026 and end up getting drafted in 2027.
Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright has already taken advantage of the loophole. He has been on the Cleveland Browns roster, but reports have emerged that he could be waived, and he would look to team up with his old coach, Lane Kiffin, at LSU this fall. Kiffin isn’t the only coach using this to his advantage. North Carolina’s Bill Belichick has said they will use the court ruling if it makes the Tar Heels better, and that they’ve already scouted several players.
Here is a list of five targets that would make any team better, but would especially help the greatest football coach in history get his team on the right track.
Zxavian Harris, Defensive Tackle (New Orleans Saints)
Harris could be the second former Rebel to join Kiffin again in college. The New Orleans Saints signed him in May, but waived him due to an ongoing foot injury. He is monstrous in size, standing 6’8″ and weighing 330 pounds. He played four seasons at Ole Miss, recording 123 tackles (17.5 for a loss) and 5.5 sacks.
Belichick loves defensive players, and a guy who can take up two or three blockers every play would be a dream come true. Isaiah Johnson is a fifth-year senior who should start for UNC this season. He recorded 40 tackles and two sacks last year, so a player like Harris, especially coming from the SEC, would be an upgrade for the Tar Heels’ defense.
Tyren Montgomery, Wide Receiver (Tennessee Titans)
Montgomery has a great story. He was recruited to play Division I basketball at LSU, and chose not to play. He decided to play college football instead, but FBS teams weren’t interested because he had never played before. He started at Nichols and played his junior and senior seasons for John Carroll, where, in 2025, he was a first-team Division III All-American.
The 5’11” receiver had 119 receptions last season for 1,528 yards and 17 touchdowns. He hasn’t caught a pass for the Titans in preseason, and getting a year to play for an FBS school, provided he plays at the same level, could land him on day two of the NFL Draft. Belichick hasn’t had much luck with receivers historically, and his current crop isn’t impressive. If Montgomery joined the squad, he would be WR1 on day one.
Jeff Caldwell, Wide Receiver (Kansas City Chiefs)
Caldwell is another receiver who would love a chance to improve his resume. Despite the Chiefs lacking top-end talent at the receiver position, he is a long shot to make the team. He only played one year at Cincinnati, after three years at FCS school Lindenwood. In his one FBS season, he recorded 32 receptions for 478 yards (14.9 yards per catch) and six touchdowns.
The former Bearcat hasn’t caught a pass this preseason, despite being named to Bruce Feldman’s Freak list before the 2026 draft. He’s 6’3 and ran a 4.31 forty at the combine. He could be a college Randy Moss for Belichick and jump-start a Tar Heels offense that truly lacks playmakers. A good performance in Chapel Hill, and he could hear his name called next spring.
Nadame Tucker, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers
Tucker would be the biggest name on defense to enter the transfer portal if the Chargers cut ties with him. After three years with the Houston Cougars, he played his senior year for Western Michigan, racking up 21 tackles for a loss and 14.5 sacks. He’s 6’3 and 250 pounds, and he ran a 4.73 forty at the combine. He has one tackle so far in the preseason.
Tucker is the type of freak edge rusher, with a relentless motor, that would have Belichick salivating. He should have been drafted this year, but a good year under a defensive genius would make him a lock in next year’s bottom rounds. Should he go back to school, he will have no shortage of suitors.
Jack Strand, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback is the most important position on the field, and nobody knows that better than Belichick. Strand is another guy who would have been drafted if he played for a bigger school. He spent four years breaking records at Division II Minnesota State University-Moorhead (MSUM). In four seasons, he amassed 13,161 yards and 126 touchdowns.
Strand has a dark-horse shot at making the Falcons, going 18 of 29 for 262 yards and a touchdown so far this preseason. It would also behoove him to play in college one more year, specifically at a DI school, so he could be drafted next year. He would be the day-one starter in North Carolina and would make Belichick’s squad scary to face.
NFL Transfer Portal Players Could Turn The Tide At UNC
2025 was a rough year, to say the least, for Coach Belichick. He hasn’t impressed in recruiting or using the portal for the 2026 season. If he is serious and goes after these five prospects, he could actually have the best NFL Draft class in recent memory for the Tar Heels. This is especially true if he could land Stand and one of the receivers.
