The North Carolina Tar Heels are heading into an exciting new chapter with legendary coach Bill Belichick at the helm. Belichick brings an unmatched résumé, having led the New England Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances and six championships over 24 seasons. Still, despite the chance to play for one of football’s all-time greats, the Tar Heels have seen a wave of departures to the transfer portal. According to On3, 34 players have now entered the portal, including 29 three-star recruits and two four-stars. The most recent addition came Wednesday, with sophomore linebacker Michael Short joining the list.
North Carolina LB Michael Short has entered the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos_ reports🐏
Short totaled 13 tackles last season.https://t.co/kSYG7dYADj pic.twitter.com/I1Ar2rYOvV
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) April 23, 2025
It’s a tough blow for Belichick, as Michael Short is coming off his most productive college season—his only one with recorded stats—posting 23 tackles and a tackle for loss across 13 games. Short was considered a strong addition to North Carolina’s 2023 recruiting class, earning a three-star rating from the On3 industry rankings. He was ranked the No. 123 linebacker and No. 1,255 overall player nationally. During his high school recruitment, he also received offers from schools like Liberty, Charlotte, Appalachian State, Missouri, and East Carolina.
Short is now part of an expanding list of defensive players who have transferred out of North Carolina, which includes three-star cornerback DeAndre Boykins (who moved to Oklahoma State), three-star cornerback Zion Ferguson, and four-star EDGE Beau Atkinson. These departures could create challenges for Belichick as he works to enhance the Tar Heels’ defense, which ranked 89th in points allowed per game (28.1) and 72nd in total yards allowed per game (375.8) in 2024.
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