If North Carolina wants to land this five-star offensive tackle, the Tar Heels must get to work.
Once again, head coach Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels face an uphill battle. After falling behind on the recruiting trail last year, it would take a near miracle for them to secure this five-star offensive tackle.
One thing is clear: Belichick and his staff know they need to elevate their efforts. Last season’s late push in the transfer portal cost them valuable ground heading into 2025, but this time around, they’re determined to stay two steps ahead.
As part of their renewed recruiting push, the Tar Heels have extended an offer to five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews. The No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2027, Matthews already holds an impressive 39 scholarship offers. With powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, and Ohio State in the mix, North Carolina faces stiff competition in this high-profile recruitment.
The 6-foot-6, 300-pound lineman plays at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, giving in-state programs a potential advantage. Schools such as Miami, Florida, and Florida State have all offered, while FIU, UCF, and USF have also joined the race.
August 5, 2025, was the date North Carolina officially extended its offer to Mark Matthews. By that point, though, the Tar Heels were well behind in the race. Programs like USF and FIU had been pursuing the five-star tackle since December 4, 2023, the same day Pittsburgh also entered the mix—nearly a month before Matthews received any additional offers.
Adding to the challenge, Belichick’s staff extended their offer only after Matthews had already taken five unofficial visits with four different programs. His first came on March 18 with Miami, a team quarterback Carson Beck has guided to a No. 2 national ranking. About a month later, Matthews made another unofficial visit, this time to Florida State.
Just a day after his trip to Florida State, Matthews made an unofficial visit to Florida, where he came away impressed. He followed that up with another visit on June 21, a little over two months later, with a stop at Nebraska on June 6 in between.
Since North Carolina extended its offer, Matthews has added more visits to his list — returning to Miami twice, while also stopping by Notre Dame and Texas A&M. While Belichick and his staff remain in the mix for the talented lineman, the competition from the Florida programs has made this a long shot. Never say never, but for now, it’s tough for UNC fans to get their hopes up.
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