UNC Football: Jordan Shipp Is No. 1 On and Off the Field

Jordan Shipp reminds me of another UNC receiver who began his play on the field 20 years ago. Hakeem Nicks jumped into the rotation as a true freshman and never looked back. He acted like he belonged on the field and backed it up with his play. No. 88, you could hear our section yell during his three years at UNC, accumulated 39 receptions, 660 yards and four touchdowns that first season.

Shipp had fewer opportunities his first year at UNC; however, last year, as the focus of opposing defenses, he hauled in 60 receptions for 671 yards and six touchdowns. It’s not only the stats that remind me of the former Tar Heel standout, it is his leadership within the program.

Both Shipp and Nicks came highly recruited from the Charlotte area, and in their first season they saw their head coach fired by UNC administration. The excitement of new hires Butch Davis for the 2007 season and Bill Belichick for the 2025 season did not lead to wins. Nicks and Shipp each experienced four wins in their second season, spending the entire offseason focusing on rectifying the losing ways in Chapel Hill.

What stood out in both of their seasons with new head coaches was their production. Despite being the focal point of opposing defensive strategies, Nicks and Jordan were open often throughout the year and delivered whenever the quarterback found them. Dropped balls is not a phrase ever associated with either player, and neither puts the onus of a loss on other teammates. If you watched Jordan Shipp at ACC Kickoff, you could see the kind of person and teammate representing the university.

From all accounts, the team came together after the mountain of negative media attention during a bye week in 2025. Jordan Shipp, along with others, rallied the locker room, and there was a different feel moving forward up until the game at NC State.

Just as Hakeem Nicks took his talents to the NFL after three seasons, we may be watching Shipp’s last fall in Chapel Hill. Regardless of how many yards and touchdowns No. 1 accumulates this year, his impact will last for many years after it. And if by some miracle the Tar Heels manage to win a few games this season, there may be a new club in the stands similar to one formed in 2008.

88!