South Carolina TE transfer Connor Cox commits to North Carolina

South Carolina tight end transfer Connor Cox has committed to neighboring rival North Carolina.

He’s the third player to commit to head coach Bill Belichick this portal cycle. He joins offensive lineman Christo Kelly and defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude.

Cox spent two seasons with the Gamecocks. He appeared in nine games for South Carolina over that span, largely in special teams roles and some at the tight end position. He used his redshirt for the 2024 season, appearing in four games where he logged one catch for nine yards and a touchdown.

He was a three-star recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 37 tight end in his class, and the No. 678 player overall.

The trio of commitments since Monday has helped set the stage for an exciting 2025 offseason for the North Carolina Tar Heels football program in Chapel Hill. They’ll look to improve on their 6-6 record from 2024.

However, North Carolina still has a bowl game to play before the calendar year is over and improve their record. The Tar Heels match up against UConn in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl in Fenway Park on Dec. 28, the Saturday after Christmas. North Carolina is a six-point betting underdog headinto the the matchup.

The portal officially opened on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers.

That means roughly 25 percent of all FBS scholarship players hit free agency in one year, per On3’s Pete Nakos.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.