UNC WR Chris Culliver Planning to Enter Transfer Portal

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina wide receiver Chris Culliver is planning to enter the transfer portal, he announced on Sunday. The junior did not appear in the final six games of the 2025 season.

>>> SPECIAL OFFER: 50% OFF INSIDE CAROLINA, THE NO. 1 SITE FOR TAR HEEL SPORTS <<<

Prior to that, Culliver was part of UNC’s wide receiver rotation, starting four games and totaling 126 snaps across the first half of the season. His stat line for the year reads five receptions for 100 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown, in 13 targets, with three drops. He returned five kickoffs across the first two games for 102 yards.

Culliver totaled six receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore, and took two of his five kick returns that season back for touchdowns. The Maiden, N.C. native and former four-star recruit had one reception, for a touchdown, and five kick returns, appearing in 12 games as a true freshman in 2023.

“Once the season’s over, then what we’ll do as a staff — as a scouting staff, as a coaching staff — is we we’ll write a report on every player,” UNC general manager Michael Lombardi said in a recent radio interview. “We’ll put a grade on every player, and we’ll decide on where we’re headed … and then you put together what your team needs are …

“Coach and I, we’ll sit down like after the spring this year, we sat down with every player, basically told them what lies ahead, what’s going to happen, what do you need to do to become a better player, how we see your future, and what’s going on. And then the players make their decision based on what they hear, where they want to go and what they want to do, if they want to stay and compete.”

Players can’t officially enter the transfer portal until the designated window opens. This offseason cycle features a single window, which was moved back to Jan. 2 and will remain open through Jan. 16. Once in the portal, a player may communicate with and visit other programs.

“Now, we know some guys have already come to us and said, ‘We’re going to go in the portal,’” Lombardi continued. “Fine, no worries, go in and they’ll put their name in, but you can’t have contact with them until they’re officially in the portal…

“And the good thing about this year is that when the portal ends on the 16th, we will have our team. We’ll have a team meeting on the 17th, and there’ll be no changes to that team. We’ll be able to build the culture. We’ll be able to build continuity within the team.”