2024 Signee Jordan Shipp on Practicing Early With the Heels

CHAPEL HILL – Jordan Shipp is one of North Carolina’s most highly touted signees for its class of 2024, as the 4-star wide receiver is rated the No. 123 overall prospect in the nation.

In addition to being in the Rivals250, Shipp is 26th nationally at his position and the No. 4 overall prospect in North Carolina.

At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Shipp helped lead Providence Day in Charlotte to the NCISAA D1 state championship this season.

We spoke with Shipp recently at UNC, as he arrived more than a week before the Tar Heels’ bowl game to practice with the team. He got in four practices in Chapel Hill and four in Charlotte. Shipp is enrolling next month, so by the time spring practice ends, he will have taken part in 23 practices.

Below is video of our interview with Shipp plus a transcript of what he had to say. But first is his UNC bio:

• An early enrollee who is a four-star prospect ranked as the nation’s 259th-best player, the No. 43 wide receiver and the No. 9 player in North Carolina by On3

• An All-American Bowl invitee

• A three-time all-state

and all-conference selection

• A three-time state champion

• A two-time team captain

• Posted 173 receptions for 2,934 yards and 37 TDs during his three-year prep career

• Notched 66 receptions for 1,195 yards and 15 TDs as a senior

• Averaged 108.6 receiving yards per game and threw two TD passes

• Caught 62 passes for 1,088 yards and 14 TDs as a junior

• Tallied 45 receptions for 651 yards and eight TDs as a sophomore

Note: The interview took place before the bowl game. We have a few more to roll out, but didn’t want to rush them ahead of the game.

Q: How much fun has this been?

SHIPP: “I’m having so much fun. I’m really enjoying it. Everything’s going great, picking up on the offense pretty well. So everything’s going good.”

Q: How much of an advantage is it for you to get here and get a taste of what it’s like before you go full throttle?

SHIPP: “I would definitely say it gives me a huge advantage because we’ve got a good piece of the offense down already. We had our first practice, a little nerves were here and there. But now I’m just comfortable and I’m just out there playing football.”

Q: Has there been anything that’s surprised you about the way the locker room vibe is like, the chatter in practice, how fast practice goes? Anything like that?

SHIPP: “I wouldn’t say it was a surprise, more something to get adjusted to. We came from an air raid offense at PD, so I’m used to the hand signs and the tempo and all that stuff. So that doesn’t really throw me off all that much. But more, it’s just a different level of maturity, and I feel like I’m adjusted to it pretty well.”

Q: You new guys are obviously going slower than the team, and you’re getting a lot of critiques, so what are the ones you’ve gotten so far?

SHIPP: “Really, just keeping my depth. Knowing I don’t have to rush anything, just taking my time and being confident.”

Q: What are you new guys actually doing in practice as the team prepares for the bowl game?

SHIPP: “The first day, of course, we had to do the acclimation stuff, but we’re like full-on, we’re in team periods and all that. We’re with the second group, and we’ve been getting a scout team a little as well, running with the second group as well. So just being able to give a lot of those older boys that are more comfortable, giving them time to rest for the bowl game. So we kind of popped in and took their spot a little bit.”

Q: Are their guys you look up to that you pattern your game after?

SHIPP: “I would say one here, J.J. (Jones), I like what he does. JJ’s a really good receiver, I’ve been watching him for a while. Of all the Chapel Hill games I’ve been to, he’s always been in, so he’s always been the outside receiver. So, I feel like a lot of stuff, especially now that I’m here with him, I’m trying to take as much stuff as I can from him.”

Q: He was asked to explain what his many wristbands are for. He had on 14 wrist bands. They are mostly for inspiration.

Not going to quote Shipp here but we zoomed in so you can see each band and hear why he wears them,