Even though tampering is illegal, Jordan Shipp received multiple inquiries from college football programs in need of a wide receiver during the offseason. The North Carolina pass-catcher turned them (and their lucrative NIL offers) away.
He decided to stay in Chapel Hill with Bill Belichick.
It is not a secret that tampering exists on a daily basis in college football. Some players listen. Some don’t!
Who is Jordan Shipp?
At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Shipp was rated as a four-star prospect in the recruiting Class of 2024. The Charlotte-native was the 19th-ranked player at his position and a top-100 prospect overall. North Carolina ultimately received his commitment over Michigan and N.C. State, among 16 others. He committed to the previous regime under head coach Mack Brown.
The true freshman wide receiver made only nine catches for 114 yards and one touchdown in 2024. Brown was fired halfway through the season. Freddy Kitchens took over as the interim. Bill Belichick was hired during the offseason.
Not only did Jordan Shipp decide to stay on with the new staff, he caught the first pass of the new era for a huge gain. Kenan Memorial Stadium was on fire. It was one of the most exciting first drives in college football history.
Unfortunately, the Tar Heels went on to lose that game in blowout fashion and finished at 4-8. Brutal.
There was one clear bright spot during the disappointing season. UNC’s leading receiver caught 60 passes for 671 yards and six touchdowns.
As a result of his impressive sophomore season, Shipp was in high demand— even though he did not enter the transfer portal.
North Carolina’s star wide receiver rejected illegal tamperers.
It is not legal for a college football program to contact an athlete who is not actively listed in the transfer portal but it happens at all points of the year with programs on all levels of the sport. Tampering is everywhere and the NCAA won’t can’t do anything about it. Especially when there are so many “workarounds.”
Bylaw 13.1.1.4 strictly prohibits staff members or other representatives of an athletic program from “communicating or making contact with the student athlete of another” Division I school or their family members if he or she is not in the portal. That is exactly what happened with Jordan Shipp during the offseason— even if he does not see it that way.
“I wouldn’t say tampering. Just checking on some folks. That’s all.”
Shipp was a prime target for tampering. UNC was a dumpster fire. Other “power conference” programs were willing to pay him a lot of money to play on a team with a better shot of winning a national championship. They reached out to him via his mother.
“She told me what schools were calling, (and) she just brought up some of the offers and stuff like that. And I was just like, it’s not about the money.”
Head coaches, positions coaches and other staffers from schools all over the country reached out to Shipp’s mother in an effort to contact his agent. But Shipp doesn’t have an agent! He does not need one because he is not draft eligible and he is not going to transfer. It would be a waste for someone who does not need to be represented to hire representation.
Although Shipp did not name any of the schools or reveal their monetary offers, he mentioned multiple suitors. Their efforts failed. He decided to stay at North Carolina for year three!