With the addition of Purdue transfer Ryan Browne, it seemed inevitable that the Tar Heels were going to lose a holdover in that room to the portal and on Thursday that came to fruition.
On3 Sports transfer portal reporter, Pete Nakos, is reporting that true freshman quarterback Michael Merdinger has entered the portal. After redshirting this season, Merdinger will still have four years of eligibility remaining.
Merdinger did not play in a single game this season, but he did show some flashes for the team in the spring. He performed very well in the spring game while taking a bulk of the snaps with the third string guys, so there should be a little bit of a market there for him.
This loss is not shocking, especially after the staff kept the commitment of 2025 4✮ QB Bryce Baker and landed Browne out of the portal. With Merdinger departing, the Tar Heels still have four scholarship quarterbacks heading into next season, all of which should be competing for the starting job heading into the spring.