North Carolina running back Caleb Hood enters NCAA transfer portal

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, North Carolina running back Caleb Hood has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Hood just wrapped up his fourth season with the Tar Heels and will be looking to finish out his college eligibility elsewhere.

Injuries have been a storyline for Hood during his college days, especially this past season. There was optimism around his health heading into the year but Hood was never able to fully recover from what was described as a lower-body injury.

“Caleb Hood’s been hurt and now he’s healthy,” then-head coach Mack Brown said during the preseason. “He was down to 220. I talked to him Friday at lunch. So he’s in great shape.”

The running back only played in four games and in November, Brown announced Hood would redshirt. This preserved eligibility to return for the 2025 season. North Carolina initially hoped Hood would return and be a big part of the rotation, especially with Omarion Hampton likely leaving the program in favor of the NFL.

However, Brown was fired by UNC ahead of the season finale against NC State. Hood committed to the Tar Heels back in late 2020 and without his head coach remaining in Chapel Hill, is opening up his options for what is likely his final season of college football.

In 25 career games, Hood has rushed for 393 yards and three touchdowns on 87 carries. His numbers coming out of the backfield are not too bad either, catching 17 passes for 157 yards and a score. The 2024 season was the only one where Hood was not able to find the endzone.

One team will land itself a nice ball carrier assuming Hood can stay healthy moving forward.

Hood played high school football at Rockingham (NC) Richmond Senior, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 501 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.