Wide receiver and kick return specialist T.J. Thorpe (Durham, N.C.) has announced he will transfer to Virginia for his final year of football eligibility. Thorpe graduated from North Carolina inDecember with a degree in exercise and sport science and will be able to play immediately for the Cavaliers. He will enroll at Virginia in January.
“We recruited T.J. very hard out of high school and are glad to finally have him join ourprogram,” said Virginia coach Mike London. “He has a chance to come in and contribute immediately at both wide receiver and on special teams.”
Thorpe, listed at 6-0, 200 pounds, comes to Virginia with 42 career receptions totaling 574 yards and five touchdowns. He has been a dangerous kick returner and was a finalist for the Johnny Rodgers Award as the nation’s top kick returner in 2011.
Despite breaking his foot during training camp prior to the 2014 season, Thorpe bounced back to record 16 catches for 237 yards and three touchdowns for the Tar Heels last season. He had the game-winning catch (16 yards) for North Carolina in its 28-27 victory against UVa at Scott Stadium on Oct. 25.
Thorpe received honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2011 after leading the league with a 26.7 yards-per-kick-return average (13th nationally) and breaking the school record for kick return yards (960). He became the 14th player in ACC history to return a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown when he did so against Clemson that season. Thorpe missed the entire 2012 season due to an injury.
A graduate of Jordan High School, Thorpe was a January 2011 enrollee at UNC after being named a SuperPrep All-American and a member of the ESPNU 150 as the No. 88 overall prospect in the country. Thorpe established a school record with 2,423 receiving yards and as a junior set a single-season staterecord with five kickoff returns for touchdowns.
