Malcolm Epps Named to John Mackey Award Watch List
USC tight end Malcolm Epps was named to the John Mackey Award Watch List on Friday. Epps is looking to become the second Trojan to win the award, which was established in 1990. The John Mackey Award is presented annualy to the nation’s most outstanding tight end.
Epps started five times and played in all 12 games last season, his first at USC after transferring from Texas. He caught 10 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown in 2021. Epps also caught a two-point conversion against Utah.
The touchdown reception and subsequent two-point conversion were the clear highlights for Epps last year. They illustrated his ability to work deep down the field and also go up in traffic and come down with the ball.
The tight end position last season was seemingly underutilized for much of the year due to injuries and major reliance on targetting wide receiver Drake London.
USC brings a ton of wide receiver talent into this 2022 season, so it will be interesting to see what kind of role Epps and the tight ends can carve out. He will likely be a starter this season and could see an increase in targets. But Jude Wolfe also returns and will see plenty of time as the H-back in Lincoln Riley’s offense.
Riley is no stranger to tight end success. Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews won the Mackey Award following the 2017 season, Riley’s first as head coach of the Sooners. Andrews caught 62 passes for 958 yards and eight touchdowns that season. He then became a third-round selection of the Baltimore Ravens.
Andrews was a major scoring option for the Sooners in the two previous years with Riley serving as the Oklahoma offensive coordinator. He caught seven touchdowns in both the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Oklahoma had tremendous success in the red zone under Riley, while USC struggled to score touchdowns last season. USC loses London as a big red zone target, so it will be interesting if the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Epps fills that role a bit this season.
USC and the Mackey Award
Davis’ win in 2007 came following a season where he recorded 62 receptions for 881 yards and eight touchdowns. He had three 100-yard performances, including a five-catch, 154-yard, 1-touchdown game against Stanford. Davis finished the season with touchdowns in the final three games, including one in the Rose Bowl win against Illinois.
There’s a former Trojan on this 2022 Watch List as well. That would be Michael Trigg, who caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown for USC last season. Trigg is now at Ole Miss, joining up again with former USC quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Former USC commit Camren McDonald is on the list as well. McDonald initially committed to USC in the 2018 class out of Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School before flipping to Florida State. McDonald has 53 receptions for 549 yards and four touchdowns for the Seminoles.
Colorado’s State’s Trey McBride won the award last season. Georgia’s Brock Bowers is the overwhelming favorite for it this season. He caught 56 passes for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns as a true freshman last year.
