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Jelani Thurman ties the UNC single-season touchdown record for a tight end

Jelani Thurman's first year year as a Tar Heel continues to be historic one.
ByNick Delahanty
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Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Jelani Thurman (45) runs after catch against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Jelani Thurman (45) runs after catch against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jelani Thurman came to Chapel Hill looking to make an impact, and it's safe to say he's done just that.

With his pair of touchdown receptions against UConn, Thurman has tied Mike Chatham's program record of eight receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single season, a mark that had stood since 1979.

That's 47 years of history Thurman has matched, and the scary thing is that he has time to shatter that record.

Jelani Thurman has a chance to make the record his own

Heading into Saturday's matchup against UConn, Thurman had already established himself as one of the nation's most productive tight ends.

Through eight games, the redshirt junior had recorded 38 receptions for 461 yards and six touchdowns, ranking among the Power Four's best at his position.

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His emergence has given quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. a reliable target, especially in the red zone, where Thurman's 6-foot-6 frame creates matchup problems for opposing defenses.

What makes Thurman's accomplishment even more impressive is that his season isn't over.

With three regular-season games remaining on UNC's schedule, Thurman can surpass Chatham and become the program's outright single-season record holder for receiving touchdowns by a tight end.

When Thurman transferred from Ohio State, the hope was that he could become a significant weapon in Bill Belichick's offense. He undoubtedly exceeded those expectations; no one could have predicted he would develop into one of the best tight ends in the country so quickly.

Let's not get it twisted: some really good tight ends have called Chapel Hill home. However, Thurman, a guy who was used sparingly during his time at Ohio State, took a chance on himself and transferred to North Carolina, looking for a bigger role, one that he found within Bobby Petrino's offense this season.

Now, he's just one touchdown reception away from having a place in the UNC record books all to himself.

When you talk about breakout stars in college football, Jelani Thurman's name has to be discussed. What a pickup he ended up being for the UNC football program, as he continues to exceed expectations. At this point, Thurman has placed himself in the conversation to be catching passes on Sundays in the near future, as his emergence has put him on the radar of NFL scouts across the league.

For now, Thurman is focused on finding the end zone before the 2026 season ends, getting sole possession of the record he tied on Saturday afternoon.

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