Here is a look at the 45 college football tight ends who were named to the Mackey Award watch list for the 2016 season.
With just under two months to go until the start of the 2016 college football season, fans are getting a taste of their favorite team or players in the middle of the summer. Many national awards, from the Jim Thorpe to the Lomardi and the Davey O’Brien to the Doak Walker, will be releasing their watch lists of the upcoming season.
Wednesday, it was the John Mackey Award’s turn to take center stage as the honor handed out to the top tight end in college football gave the 45 players who they think will be in the running to bring home the award when it’s all said and done:
The award was first handed out following the 2000 season and was named after Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey, who has a successful collegiate career in the early 1960’s for the Syracuse Orange.
Some of the names who have won the award have included former NFL stars Dallas Clark (Iowa, 2002) and Heath Miller (Virginia, 2004). Other names of note include Kellen Winslow II (Miami, 2003), Aaron Hernandez (Florida, 2008), Tyler Eifert (Notre Dame, 2012) and Nick O’Leary (Florida State, 2014).
The odds on favorite for the award in 2016 has to be Alabama tight end O.J. Howard. After being a key part of the national championship team last season in Tuscaloosa, Howard is returning for his senior year and is making this award his to win or lose.
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