NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — David Morgan II was one of 35 players that were named to the John Mackey Award midseason watch list, the John Mackey Award selection committee announced on Wednesday. The award annually recognizes the nation's top tight end.
Morgan II leads UTSA with 29 receptions for 352 yards (12.1 avg.) and a program-record-tying four TDs this fall. He ranks second among the nation's tight ends in catches, third in receiving scores and fourth in receiving yards. The Marble Falls native set a school mark with nine receptions in this year’s season opener at then-No. 22 Arizona and matched that total last Saturday against Louisiana Tech en route to honorable mention John Mackey Tight End of the Week accolades following both outings. His 109 yards against the Wildcats was UTSA’s first 100-yard receiving performance in three seasons and his two touchdown grabs against the Bulldogs matched a program single-game record.
Eight semifinalists will be unveiled on Nov. 16 and three finalists will be picked the next week on Nov. 24. This year's winner will be announced on Dec. 9 and then will be presented the award live the following night in Atlanta, Ga., at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU.
National Football League (NFL) Hall of Famer John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. A tight end by whom all others are measured, 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 NFL Players Association.
Presented since 2000, previous winners include Tim Stratton (Purdue 2000), Daniel Graham (Colorado 2001), Dallas Clark (Iowa 2002), Kellen Winslow II (Miami [Fla.] 2003), Heath Miller (Virginia 2004), Marcedes Lewis (UCLA 2005), Matt Spaeth (Minnesota 2006), Fred Davis (USC 2007), Chase Coffman (Missouri 2008), Aaron Hernandez (Florida 2009), D.J. Williams (Arkansas 2010), Dwayne Allen (Clemson 2011), Tyler Eifert (Notre Dame 2012), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Washington 2013) and Nick O'Leary (Florida State 2014).