Jelani Thurman Earns Mackey Watch List Spot | Tar Heel Basketball News

Jelani Thurman, North Carolina’s new tight end and former Ohio State star, just earned a spot on the prestigious John Mackey Award preseason watch list — one of just 43 players nationwide and among eight from the ACC. After helping Ohio State win a national title in 2025 and earning solid production last season (7 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD), Thurman’s talent, leadership, and potential have caught the eye of the award committee. With a Pro Football Focus grade of 82.9 as a redshirt freshman — seventh best on his team — he’s poised for a breakout year. The Tar Heels open their 2026 campaign against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, on August 29th at noon ET on ESPN. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/f19b17f35733c937