Heel Tough Blog: Transfer Portal Haul Continues for UNC in Form of Penn State Pass Rusher

Kate Hildebrand - Collegian.PSU.edu

The transfer portal news continues for Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels, as they’ve landed their second transfer of the day, in the form of Penn State pass rusher Jaylen Harvey, who was on campus over the weekend for a visit. Harvey, who is a former four-star recruit, may have limited stats from his time in Happy Valley, but he arrives in Chapel Hill with three years of eligibility and a ton of upside for this staff to tap into. During his two seasons with Penn State, Harvey recorded 7 total tackles and 2.5 sacks across 16 games, but as a former top 30 recruit at his position, there’s talent that just needs development. 

With Tyler Thompson off visiting other schools after entering the transfer portal, a pass rusher is at the top of Michael Lombardi’s needs this off-season, to pair with Melkart Abou-Jaoude, who the program hopes to retain for the 2026 season, after a breakout campaign last year. While Harvey may not have the stats to induce faith that he will be a productive player, you don’t get recruited to rush the passer at Penn State by accident, so he has the potential to be a difference maker for the Tar Heels in the ACC. 

Despite not having as much money available for the transfer portal cycle, after bringing in a big high school recruiting class, the Tar Heels have quietly addressed their needs at QB, TE, and now at pass rusher, with more targets still to visit, or currently on visits. It doesn’t guarantee anything on the field, obviously, and there are still some holes to be filled, but the Tar Heels are positioning themselves to be much improved for 2026, after an underwhelming 4-8 season, the first under Bill Belichick.