Jelani Thurman is an American football tight end for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He previously played for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
| No. 45 – North Carolina Tar Heels | |
|---|---|
| Position | Tight end |
| Class |  |
| Personal information | |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Georgia) |
| College |
|
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at ESPN | |
Early life and high school
editThurman attended Langston Hughes High School located in Fairburn, Georgia. Coming out of high school, he committed to play college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes over offers from other schools such as Alabama, Auburn, and Michigan State.[1]
College career
editOhio State
editThurman entered his freshman season in 2023 in line to compete for playing time.[2][3] He finished the 2023 season, playing in five games with one start.[4] During the 2024 season, Thurman hauled in four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown.[5] In the 2025 season, he notched seven receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. After the conclusion of the season, Thurman entered the NCAA transfer portal.[6]
North Carolina
editThurman transferred to play for the North Carolina Tar Heels.[7]
Personal life
editThurman is the son of former NFL linebacker, Odell Thurman, and WNBA all-star, Kara Braxton.[8][9]
References
edit- ↑ Means, Stephen (July 17, 2022). "Jelani Thurman, 4-star TE, commits to Ohio State football: Buckeyes Recruiting". Cleveland.com. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Kaufman, Joey (April 8, 2023). "Freshman tight end Jelani Thurman makes smooth transition to Ohio State football". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Baird, Nathan. "Ohio State football's Jelani Thurman starting big and working early and late in first spring". Cleveland.com. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Rabinowitz, Bill (August 20, 2024). "Consistency only thing holding back Ohio State tight end Jelani Thurman from stardom". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Jurich, Jami. "Player to Watch: Jelani Thurman is ready to step up as a leader". Land-Grant Holy Land. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Schultz, Nick. "Ohio State TE Jelani Thurman plans to enter NCAA transfer portal". On3.com. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Feinberg, Jared. "One UNC Transfer Portal Addition Who Could Become Star". North Carolina Tar Heels On SI. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Gay, Colin (July 25, 2022). "Jelani Thurman plans to redefine Ohio State football's tight end room, win Mackey Award". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ↑ Powell, Zach (February 23, 2026). "Two-time WNBA champion Kara Braxton dies at 43 after car crash in Georgia". The New York Times. Retrieved May 18, 2026.