“Doesn’t say too much, but he’s all business. Really tough, competitive kid, high-effort player. He’s always going as hard as he can, and it’s been impressive to watch,” Belichick said of the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Richmond transfer.
“He’s a very instinctive player. Finds the ball and has shown the ability to play on all four downs — in the kicking game, as well. He runs well, he’s tough, he’s a good tackler, and has really good football instincts. So, glad we have him. Getting him and Derek (McDonald) has given us a lot of depth at the linebacker position, so that’s been good.”
Just as Belichick pointed out, Seelmann was “all business” during his debut in front of media members inside the Kenan Football Center. But the all-conference linebacker also proved to be “impressive to watch” during practice at Kenan Stadium, appearing to give maximum effort with every rep during defensive drills.
“It’s pretty cool,” Seelmann said, to be called a “throwback” by Belichick. When asked why that word fits, Seelmann pointed to the way he tries to play the game.
“My style of getting downhill to hit people, run around, get to ball, that’s kind of how I play,” Seelmann said.
Seelmann is projected to be a starting linebacker alongside Syracuse transfer Derek McDonald when the Tar Heels kick off the 2026 season against TCU in Ireland. Seelmann’s 120 tackles at the FCS level would have ranked among the top 20 among FBS defenders in 2025.
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In Richmond’s loss at UNC in 2025, Seelmann had nine tackles and caught the attention of Belichick once the transfer portal window opened in 2026.
“I was kind of starstruck,” Seelmann said. “Just thought it was pretty cool talking to Bill for the first time.” Following a visit in which he “fell in love” with Chapel Hill and “fell in love with the opportunity” to contribute as a Tar Heel, Seelmann committed to UNC on Jan. 6.
McDonald, Seelmann’s roommate, is confident Seelmann’s jump from FCS to Power Four won’t be a problem.
“You look at the heart the guy has, how hard he plays, he belongs out there,” McDonald said.
“Every time we’re out there together, it feels like we’ve played football together for years. He plays super hard and he knows what he’s doing. He’s a true linebacker, so it’s great having him on the field.”
The biggest adjustment, Seelmann added, was “just leaving my old school” and “some good friends.” He’s not as worried about the transition to ACC football. He’s all business on and off the field, and he’s ready to show it.
“To me, it’s kind of just football. It’s all the same to me,” Seelmann said. “Training’s been different. The transition was kind of tough at first, but once you start to play, that kind of just fell into place.”
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to [email protected] .
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Why Bill Belichick views Peyton Seelmann as ‘throwback’ player for UNC football
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