Fritts Named To Mackey Award Watch List
July 11, 2017 | Football
NEW YORK --- The Friends of John Mackey have released the 2017 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List, and North Carolina junior Brandon Fritts is among those listed. Given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end, the award recipient is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee and the 2017 Mackey Award recipient will be announced on December 6 and then presented live on December 7 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU. All future announcements can be found at www.johnmackeyaward.com.
Fritts has appeared in 23 games over his first two seasons at Carolina, amassing 22 catches for 262 yards and five touchdowns. The Mentor, Ohio, product was limited to nine games in 2016 due to injury but figures to be a key weapon in for the Tar Heel offense as a junior.
NFL Hall of Fame member 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 NFLPA.
The John Mackey Award presented since 2000, recognizes fourteen alumni that have played in the NFL: two-time Super Bowl Champion Daniel Graham ('01), 2006 Super Bowl Champion Dallas Clark ('02), Kellen Winslow II ('03), two-time Super Bowl Champion Heath Miller ('04), Marcedes Lewis ('05) of the Jacksonville Jaguars, 2008 Super Bowl Champion Matt Spaeth ('06), Fred Davis ('07), Chase Coffman ('08), D.J. Williams ('10),  Dwayne Allen ('11) of the New England Patriots, Tyler Eifert ('12)  of the Cincinnati Bengals, Austin Seferian-Jenkins ('13) of the New York Jets, Nick O'Leary ('14) of the Buffalo Bills, Hunter Henry of the Los Angeles Chargers and 2016 John Mackey Award recipient Jake Butt of the Denver Broncos.Â
The John Mackey Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 23 awards boast over 745 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
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The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Seventeen of the association's 23 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.Â
Fritts has appeared in 23 games over his first two seasons at Carolina, amassing 22 catches for 262 yards and five touchdowns. The Mentor, Ohio, product was limited to nine games in 2016 due to injury but figures to be a key weapon in for the Tar Heel offense as a junior.
NFL Hall of Fame member 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 NFLPA.
The John Mackey Award presented since 2000, recognizes fourteen alumni that have played in the NFL: two-time Super Bowl Champion Daniel Graham ('01), 2006 Super Bowl Champion Dallas Clark ('02), Kellen Winslow II ('03), two-time Super Bowl Champion Heath Miller ('04), Marcedes Lewis ('05) of the Jacksonville Jaguars, 2008 Super Bowl Champion Matt Spaeth ('06), Fred Davis ('07), Chase Coffman ('08), D.J. Williams ('10),  Dwayne Allen ('11) of the New England Patriots, Tyler Eifert ('12)  of the Cincinnati Bengals, Austin Seferian-Jenkins ('13) of the New York Jets, Nick O'Leary ('14) of the Buffalo Bills, Hunter Henry of the Los Angeles Chargers and 2016 John Mackey Award recipient Jake Butt of the Denver Broncos.Â
The John Mackey Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 23 awards boast over 745 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
Â
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Seventeen of the association's 23 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.Â
Players Mentioned
Tight End
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