College football only has one transfer portal window this season. Players who entered their names by January 16 may transfer at any time afterwards. That applies to the two new players added to the UNC football roster this week. At this point, none of UNC’s players remaining in the portal are expected to return, as available spots on the 105-man roster have been mostly filled.
You can find previous updates on UNC transfer portal activity here and here.
Kaleb Jackson comes to UNC from LSU. A 4-star running back in the 2023 recruiting cycle, Jackson produced 231 yards rushing and 132 yards receiving with four touchdowns as a Tiger. He also returned kickoffs his freshman season. After competing in four games this season, Jackson sat out to preserve his redshirt, giving him three more years of eligibility. With only three experienced running backs on the roster prior to Jackson’s commitment, his presence provides badly needed depth.
As noted in previous looks at UNC’s evolving roster, the offensive line next season will be a complete rebuild. West Virginia’s Brandon Homady spent last season mostly in special teams duty. A 2025 3-star recruit, Homady saw a few snaps at left tackle for the Mountaineers, and puts another developmental prospect into the mix along the offensive line.
UNC’s 2026 portal class now stands at 19 players. Since Bill Belichick and Mike Lombardi came to UNC, the program has brought 130 new players to Chapel Hill in the past 13 months. Given that the roster allows 105 spots and that some of Mack Brown’s players remained, Belichick’s operation has been and continues to be a revolving door for players.
Jackson and Homady add needed depth at running back and offensive line, as noted in last week’s early look at next season’s offense and defense.
