Jordan Shipp’s profile at North Carolina keeps growing, and now it has earned him national recognition beyond the stat sheet. The junior wide receiver is one of 20 semifinalists for the 10th annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, according to the selection committee announced Wednesday in Dallas.
The award, which carries the name of 11-time NFL Pro Bowler Jason Witten, is built around leadership, integrity and sportsmanship on and off the field. Shipp fits that mold with the kind of résumé that stretches well past big catches and box scores.
On the field, Shipp has already established himself as a steady piece of the Tar Heels’ offense. He has played in 30 games during his UNC career and stepped into a starting role in 2025.
That season, he led North Carolina with 60 receptions for 671 yards and six touchdowns, good for All-ACC Honorable Mention recognition. In 2026, he has added 33 catches for 441 yards and one touchdown.
His impact, though, has been just as visible away from game day. Shipp was a 2026 ACC Top Six for Service Award recipient, a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and an addition to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. His service work has included visits to UNC Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity home-building efforts and volunteering with TABLE, the Orange County nonprofit that provides healthy food and nutrition education to local children.
The Charlotte native has also spent time serving meals at the SECU House for patients and families traveling long distances to UNC hospitals for life-saving care. He has read to students at local elementary schools and helped organize back-to-school drives for children’s supplies.
Shipp’s recognition extends into the classroom, too. He recently earned undergraduate degrees in exercise science and communications, finishing both in two and a half years.
His academic honors include CSC Academic All-District Team, All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Honor Roll recognition, along with designation as a Tar Heel Scholar-Athlete and AD Scholar-Athlete. He also received the UNC Chancellor’s Jim Tatum Memorial Award, presented to a student-athlete who has contributed to the university community through constructive participation in co-curricular activities.
He is only the second Tar Heel ever to reach semifinalist status for the Witten Award, following former outside linebacker Kaimon Rucker, who advanced to the finalist round in 2024.
The award will move to three finalists on Tuesday, December 15. The winner will be revealed at the ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 11, 2027.
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What made the performance stand out most was when it happened. Seelmanns work in the second half, especially down the stretch in the fourth quarter, helped steady a UNC defense that needed stops to finish the job, and it offered a timely reminder that the Tar Heels may have found a more reliable presence in the middle of the field. For a team looking for answers on that side of the ball, nights like this are the kind that can change the conversation. [Read more 🡒]