Texas Football’s Ja’Tavion Sanders named to John Mackey Award watch list

On3 imageby:Justin Wells•08/04/23

Texas junior tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was named to the John Mackey Award watch list, The Friends of John Mackey announced on Friday. It’s the second straight year where Sanders has landed on the preseason watch list for the award that honors college football’s most outstanding tight end.

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Sanders, third-year junior, has played in 25 games with 13 starts. He notched first-team all-conference accolades last season after hauling in 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns, leading all Big 12 tight ends in receptions and receiving yards and ranking second in touchdowns. 

The Denton (Texas) Ryan product was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award after his 54 receptions last season were the most for a tight end in a single-season in program history. Sanders tallied 613 receiving yards, which tied for second-most in a season by a Texas tight end as well. 

Sanders ranks eighth all-time among Longhorn tight ends in receptions (54) and 10th in receiving yards (613) over his career in Austin. 

Sanders was selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team by the conference’s media representatives. He has also been recognized as a preseason All-American by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports, in addition to the Mackey Award preseason watch list. 

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The award is named for NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey, who is considered to be one of the best to have played the tight end position. Mackey was a role model on and off the field as demonstrated by his Super Bowl Championship, his commitment to community and his place in history as the first President of the NFLPA. The award is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee.

Longhorn watch list representation

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