UNC’s tight end room looks nothing like it did a year ago, and that overhaul could pay off quickly if Jelani Thurman lives up to the buzz.
The Ohio State transfer has already landed on the John Mackey Award preseason watch list, a sign that people beyond Chapel Hill think he’s ready to take a real step forward in 2026. The award goes to the nation’s top collegiate tight end, and Thurman is one of eight ACC players to make the list.
The conference’s preseason group also includes Dorian Thomas of California, Jeremiah Hasley of Duke, Chris Corbo of Georgia Tech, Brody Foley of Louisville, Elijah Lofton of Miami, Randy Pittman Jr. of SMU and Luke Reynolds of Virginia Tech.
For UNC, Thurman is one of the new pieces brought in during an offseason that put a premium on adding depth at tight end. Bill Belichick and his staff clearly view the position as an important part of the offense, and they spent the offseason trying to strengthen it with players they believe can be developed into bigger roles.
Thurman fits that profile. At Ohio State, he wasn’t featured heavily in the passing game, but he did post his best college season so far. He finished with seven catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, and over three seasons with the Buckeyes he totaled 13 receptions for 144 yards and two scores.
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, the Fairburn, Georgia native gives North Carolina a big target with the kind of frame that can cause problems in the middle of the field and near the goal line.
That matters for a Tar Heels offense trying to bounce back after last season’s struggles. With Bobby Petrino now running the offense and a new wave of talent in place, North Carolina is banking on a much sharper unit in 2026. A dependable tight end who can keep drives alive and become a problem in the red zone would go a long way toward that.
Thurman may not have been a featured piece at Ohio State, but UNC is clearly hoping his next chapter looks a lot different. If he breaks out, it would be a strong sign that the Tar Heels’ revamped offense is heading in the right direction.
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The matchups also come with plenty of curiosity on both sides. USC brings back a core of returning players along with transfer additions, while UNC is working through its own roster changes and a coaching staff built to sort out roles before the regular season begins. For Tar Heel fans, the appeal is obvious: these are exhibition games, but they ought to reveal a lot about how quickly Malone can get his group organized and ready for the real thing. [Read more 🡒]