Former Ohio State Buckeye looks like a star with new college football team he transferred to in exciting debut
Former Ohio State TE Jelani Thurman looks like he found the perfect home after leaving Columbus if his first game in the ACC means anything.
The Ohio State Buckeyes saw more than 30 players transfer away from the program last winter. None of the transfer departures from Columbus were really surprising. Ohio State lost mostly depth pieces and back-end roster players. There were no starters, no players expected to make a major impact who decided to leave Columbus.
Still, it’s always worth following where former Buckeyes land and how they fare at their new schools.
Former tight end Jelani Thurman wasted no time showing his move to North Carolina looks to be the right one. Thurman never found his role at Ohio State, but it looks like it’s the total opposite with the Tar Heels.
Former Buckeye Jelani Thurman looks like a real weapon in the ACC
Thurman hauled in four receptions for 94 receiving yards in his Tar Heels debut, a Week 0 win over TCU in Dublin, Ireland, that put his name on the map in the ACC if it wasn’t already.
Thurman arrived at Ohio State as the No. 3 tight end in the class of 2023 out of Georgia. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound pass catcher played in 34 games over three seasons but managed just 13 catches for 144 receiving yards and two touchdowns during his time in Columbus.
His best season came last year when he caught seven passes for 84 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Despite his recruiting pedigree, Thurman was always buried on the depth chart. He never separated himself from the pack and would have been a depth tight end again for Ohio State in 2026. The opportunity to be “that guy” simply wasn’t there for him with the Buckeyes.
It sure looks like Thurman is going to be that guy for North Carolina. In his first game with the Tar Heels, he beat the TCU defense multiple times and posted a long reception of 35 yards. 94 receiving yards by a tight end in any game is notable, and Thurman did that right out of the gates.
Thurman’s decision to transfer already looks like a good one through one game. It’s only Week 0 of the college football season, but the early returns suggest he could be a significant piece of North Carolina’s offense in the ACC.
After a debut like that, the former Buckeye looks ready to make the most of his fresh start in Chapel Hill.
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