New England Patriots - NESN.com
New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick, now coaching the North Carolina Tar Heels, should have an easy time recruiting top-tier talent to UNC, no? You would think that — based on his name alone, not to mention his NFL ties — Belichick would attract elite prospects to Chapel Hill like bugs to a lantern. A new development may complicate that entire situation, however.
According to a report from The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov, Belichick isn’t creating maximum opportunities for NFL scouts to watch his UNC players.
In fact, per Meirov, Belichick is doing the opposite, in some instances.
“Bill Belichick has banned #Patriots scouts from attending UNC practices to scout their players,” Meirov reported on Thursday. “NFL scouts in general have faced hurdles scouting UNC players so far under Belichick’s tenure at North Carolina.”
It’s tough to frame this as anything but a negative for top recruits thinking about using UNC as a launchpad to the NFL.
There are plenty of other Patriots-related questions that arise from this story, too. Was Belichick’s alleged decision to ban Pats scouts directly tied to his (allegedly sour) relationship with the Patriots organization, or are we reaching?
Wherever the Belichick-Patriots entanglement stands, it hasn’t stopped Robert Kraft and Co. from planning a Belichick statue right next to Tom Brady’s outside Gillette Stadium, once Chapel Bill decides to leave Chapel Hill (via retirement).
The Belichick-era Tar Heels started off things 0-1 last weekend, but they have an opportunity to bounce back this Saturday against UNC Charlotte. Patriots scouts are welcome to attend.
