NEW YORK, N.Y. — Shaq Williams was one of 55 players named to the John Mackey Award preseason watch list, the John Mackey Award selection committee announced on Tuesday. The award annually recognizes the nation's top tight end.
Williams, who redshirted the 2015 campaign, is coming off a junior season that saw him play in all 13 games, including three starts (at Old Dominion/vs. North Texas/vs. Charlotte). The Jackson, Miss., native caught 13 passes for 158 yards (12.2 avg.) and two touchdowns. He opened the year with a season-high three receptions for 63 yards, including a 51-yarder, against Alabama State (Sept. 3) and hauled in a pair of throws for 37 yards, including a 24-yard score, against Arizona State (Sept. 16). His other TD grab was a 3-yarder against UTEP (Oct. 22).
Eight semifinalists will be unveiled in mid-November and three finalists will be picked a week later. This year's winner will be announced in December and then will be presented the award live in Atlanta, Ga., at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show.
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), Nick O'Leary (Florida State 2014), Hunter Henry (Arkansas 2015) and Jake Butt (Michigan 2016).
2017 John Mackey Award Preseasom Watch List
Jordan Akins, UCF
Julian Allen, Southern Miss
Mark Andrews, Oklahoma
Marcus Baugh, Ohio State
Alec Bloom, Connecticut
Adam Breneman, Massachusetts
Tyler Conklin, Central Michigan
C.J. Conrad, Kentucky
Cole Cook, North Carolina State
Micky Crum, Louisville
Jordan Davis, Louisville
Donnie Ernsberger, Western Michigan
Jordan Feuerbacher, Baylor
Maaseiah Francis, South Alabama
Brandon Fritts, North Carolina
Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin
Mike Gesicki, Penn State
De'Andre Goolsby, Florida
Daniel Helm, Duke
Hale Hentges, Alabama
Chris Herndon, Miami (Fla.)
Ray Hudson, California
Hayden Hurst, South Carolina
Daniel Imatorbhebhe, USC
Ryan Izzo, Florida State
Ben Johnson Kansas
Charles Jones, Tulane
Brandon Lingen, Minnesota
Alize Mack, Notre Dame
Blake Mack, Arkansas State
Troy Mangen, Ohio
Isaac Nauta, Georgia
Kyle Penniston, Wisconsin
Dax Raymond, Utah State
Austin Roberts, UCLA
Jake Roh, Boise State
Drew Sample, Washington
Gabe Schrade, Texas State
Dalton Schultz, Stanford
Cam Serigne, Wake Forest
Ryan Smith, Miami (Ohio)
Durham Smythe, Notre Dame
Tommy Sweeney, Boston College
Metuisela Unga, Hawai`i
Dayton Valentine, Kansas State
Melvin Vaughn, Old Dominion
David Wells, San Diego State
Ari Werts, Georgia State
Tyrone Wheatley, Michigan
Mitchell Wilcox, USF
Shaq Williams, UTSA
Shane Wimann, Northern Illinois
Ethan Wolf, Tennessee
Nate Wozniak, Minnesota
Ryan Yurachek, Marshall
