North Carolina football did not have any players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, ending a decade-long streak of having at least one player drafted. This marks the first time since 2016 that the Tar Heels were shut out of the draft, a surprising result given the program's recent reputation as a developing pipeline to the NFL.
The absence of draft picks comes amid heightened attention due to Bill Belichick's involvement with the program. While details of his role were not fully specified, his association had raised expectations for player development and NFL readiness. Despite those expectations, no Tar Heels were chosen across the seven rounds of the 2026 draft.