Melkart Abou Jaoude re-signs with UNC, returns as defensive cornerstone for 2026
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- Melkart Abou Jaoude re-signed with UNC, returning as the 2026 defensive anchor.
- He led the ACC in snaps, posted 10.5 sacks and earned second-team All-ACC honors.
- His return offsets linebacker departures and supports Belichick’s portal retention plan.
North Carolina standout defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude has re-signed with the Tar Heels and will return to Chapel Hill for the 2026 season, the program announced Tuesday, securing a proven anchor for the defense.
Abou Jaoude, a redshirt junior, delivered a productive season in his first year at UNC after transferring from Delaware. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher led the ACC in snaps (646) per Pro Football Focus. He made that playing time count with an ACC-best 10.5 sacks, a total that ranked top-10 nationally and earned him second-team All-ACC honors from both the league and the Associated Press. He became the first Tar Heel since Kareem Martin (2013) to reach double-digit sacks in a single season.
Abou Jaoude started all 12 games and finished fourth on the team with 47 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss.
Abou Jaoude’s impact peaked during late October and early November, when he recorded eight sacks in a three-game stretch. He posted three sacks in games against both Virginia and Stanford. Abou Jaoude earned ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a win at Syracuse on Halloween, where he totaled six tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
UNC coach Bill Belichick has described Abou Jaoude as a “quieter guy” who is well respected in the Kenan Football Center because of his work ethic, toughness and consistency.
“He’s worked so hard since he’s been here,” Belichick said in September. “He’s improved. Feels like every single day, going all the way back to February [and] March, when started spring ball. He just keeps getting better and better at little things, and developing little techniques that he uses at the right time. He’s very instinctive.”
His return carries added importance for a Tar Heels defense losing linebackers Khmori House, Andrew Simpson, Mikai Gbayor and Tyler Thompson.
Before arriving at North Carolina, Abou Jaoude spent three seasons at Delaware. He totaled 8.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss and earned All-CAA honorable mention recognition as a Blue Hen.
Abou Jaoude is several players from the 2025 roster to re-sign with the Tar Heels as Belichick continues to reshape the program through retention and the transfer portal ahead of his second season in Chapel Hill. A live portal tracker can be found here.