Thurman Brings Energy, Versatility To Tar Heel Offense

Jordan Shipp, UNC's leading receiver last season, is enjoying Jelani Thurman's company.

It makes the junior wideout's job easier when there's a multidimensional tight end defenses must account for.

"You can't put a corner out there; they'll be too small," Shipp said. "There's no linebacker I feel like in the country that's going to stay in front of Jelani. There aren't too many safeties who can roam down and be a willing tackler but also try to guard him. He's a matchup nightmare. There are times where it's like, 'Let's just get 45 the ball.'"

Good things have happened when UNC's followed that plan.

Thurman, a redshirt junior who spent three years at Ohio State, leads the Tar Heels with 183 receiving yards three games into the season.

When Thurman entered the transfer portal and searched for a new home, UNC emerged as the right landing spot because he wanted to go somewhere he'd be "used as an all-around tight end."

It didn't take long for Thurman to display his talent and well-rounded skillset.

Five of his 11 catches have gone for 20-plus yards, including two on the Tar Heels' opening drive of the season against TCU. Thurman finished that game with 94 receiving yards, more than he had in all of 2025 with the Buckeyes. All the while he showcased his blocking ability, helping create holes for UNC's running backs.

The Tar Heels will need their best players to be at their best Saturday when hosting No. 3 Notre Dame at Kenan Stadium, and Thurman is certainly one of them.

The game will be Thurman's second against the Fighting Irish, the opponent he took the field against when he won a national championship with Ohio State two seasons ago.

"As a team, we just need to execute," said Thurman, a native of Fairburn, Georgia. "We need to play our best game and have no mental errors. Playing Notre Dame, they have a good defense, so I feel like as an offense we need to be all locked in."

A great tight end has been a staple of teams coached by Bill Belichick, who's worked with the likes of Mark Bavaro, Benjamin Watson, Rob Gronkowski, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.

The position has also been consistently valued in the scheme of first-year Tar Heel offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino throughout his coaching career.

Thurman has a "great future, and I'm glad we have him," Belichick said. "He's been a great addition to our team, both on and off the field. His competitiveness. He's got a great personality and generates a lot of good competitive enthusiasm out on the field."

Thurman cracked a smile when he heard about how Belichick described his approach to practice.

"I feel like I'm an energetic guy," said Thurman. "I bring a lot of energy, drill in to drill out. I goof around a lot in practice, but I also like to focus, lock in and be a leader on the practice field."

Depending on how you look at it, UNC redshirt sophomore linebacker Jonathan Agumadu had the fortune or misfortune of matching up with Thurman throughout preseason camp.

He's taking the glass-half-full approach — one that speaks to Thurman's talent.

"Jelani is probably going to be the best tight end I see all year," Agumadu said. "So going against him all fall camp was special because he's just physically more gifted than other people. He's fast. He can block. He can do everything a tight end can do. Just competing and getting better with him every day was an opportunity like none other."

When Thurman visited UNC this past offseason, he said he saw a beautiful campus.

He also saw "the opportunity I could have to be a good football player."

It's an opportunity Thurman is seizing, and the Tar Heels are much better for it.

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