Jelani Thurman

TE · #45 · North Carolina · JR · 6'6" · 245 · Fairburn, GA

Projected TE starter

314 2026 receiving yards

26 of 44 2026 catches

4 2026 TDs

5 Explosive plays

40 Career games (7 starts)

Career

Season	Team	GP	GS	Rec-Tgt	Yards	YPR	TD
2026	North Carolina	6	6	26-44	314	12.1	4
2025	Ohio State	14	0	7-8	84	12.0	1
2024	Ohio State	15	0	4-8	42	10.5	1
2023	Ohio State	5	1	2-2	18	9.0	0

2026 Percentile vs TEs

Receiving yards per game 52.3 98

Yards per catch 12.1 74

Catch rate 59.1% 29

Receiving TDs 4 97

Around Jelani

Projected 2026 starters · 2026 production

Billy Edwards Jr. QB · 1,259 pass yds · 6g

Benjamin Hall RB · 283 rush yds · 6g

WR-X

Mason Humphrey WR · 38 rec yds · 5g

WR-Z

Jordan Shipp WR · 441 rec yds · 6g

WR-SL

Trech Kekahuna WR · 129 rec yds · 6g

The situation

North Carolina 2026 offense ›

Explosive play rate 11.6% 45

Red zone TD rate 72.0% 49

Line yards per carry 2.3 35

Sack rate allowed 8.1% 28

2026 Game log

Week	Opponent	Targets	Receptions	Receiving yards	Receiving TDs	RZ opps	Target share
W1	@ TCU	8	4	94	0	2	29%
W2	East Tennessee State Buccaneers	4	4	71	1	0	16%
W3	@ CLEM	9	3	18	0	2	31%
W5	ND	8	5	50	2	4	31%
W6	@ PITT	8	6	29	1	1	31%
W7	@ DUKE	7	4	52	0	0	29%

Recruiting

2023 class · 247 composite

Four-star high school recruit

The 2023 board

#103

Aidan Mizell WR · Boone FLA

#104

Christian Gray CB · De Smet Jesuit ND

#105

Jelani Thurman TE · Langston Hughes OSU

#106

Eugene Wilson III WR · Gaither FLA

#107

Drayk Bowen LB · Andrean ND

TEs in the class

Duce Robinson Pinnacle USC

Pearce Spurlin III South Walton UGA

Jelani Thurman Langston Hughes OSU

Riley Williams IMG Academy MIA

Walker Lyons Folsom USC

2026 · 98th pctile of TEs

Recruit · 96th pctile of class