Ja'Tavion Sanders named a Mackey Award semifinalist
Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was named a John Mackey Award semifinalist on Wednesday, The Friends of John Mackey announced. It is the second consecutive season that Sanders has earned semifinalist honors from the award given annually to the nation’s top tight end.
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Sanders has been a key cog in the Longhorn offense over the past two seasons. A junior from Denton (Texas) Ryan, Sanders has started all nine games for Texas in 2023, catching 22 passes for 378 yards and a touchdown. He recorded 100-yard games versus Alabama and Baylor. His 114 yards against the Crimson Tide were the third most by a tight end in a game in school history.
Last season, Sanders had a breakout year. He caught a school tight end record 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns. His 613 yards were the second most by a tight end in school history, equaling David Thomas’ 2005 mark and just 24 yards behind William Harris’ 1984 campaign.
Sanders is currently tied for third among Texas tight ends in career receptions with 76, fifth in receiving yards with 991, and seventh in touchdowns with six. He is also one of the top 2024 draft prospects. Pro Football Focus has him No. 38 on its NFL Draft Big Board, while ESPN’s Mel Kiper tabbed him as the No. 2 tight end behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers.
The Mackey is named after John Mackey, a NFL Hall of Fame tight end and the first president of the NFLPA.
Mackey Award semifinalists
AJ Barner, Michigan
Brock Bowers, Georgia
Dallin Holker, Colorado State
Theo Johnson, Penn State
Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina
Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas
Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
Cade Stover, Ohio State
Jack Velling, Oregon State
