Miami Hurricanes TE Will Mallory on Mackey Award watch list

Miami Hurricanes tight end Will Mallory has been named to the Mackey Award Watch List. The Mackey Award is named in honor of Pro Football Hall of Fame TE John Mackey and honors the best player in college football at the position every year. Mallory has to significantly improve his numbers to contend for the Mackey Award.

Mallory enters the 2022 season with 73 receptions, 1,006 receiving yards and 11 TDs. In order to be a contender for the Mackey Award, Mallory will have to significantly improve his average numbers in 2022. Mallory set career highs with 30 receptions and 347 receiving yards and tied his best with four touchdown receptions in 2021.

Mallory is entering his second season as the Miami starting TE after backing up fellow 2018 signee Brevin Jordan for three seasons. Miami is expected to involve the TEs more as receivers in 2022 under new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. Miami will be deep at TE in 2022 with Elijah Arroyo and Jaleel Skinner backing up Mallory.

Per the official Miami Hurricanes website, Miami TEs have been named a finalist for the Mackey Award six times. Jordan was the most recent Miami TE to make the top three in 2019. . Kellen Winslow II in 2003 is the only Mackey Award winner from Miami. Winslow II had 60 receptions for 605 yards and one TD in 2022.

Mallory will be pushed by Arroyo and Skinner this season. Expect Gattis to frequently use multiple TEs. Arroyo, Mallory and Skinner are all excellent receivers. Michigan TE Erick All had 38 receptions for 437 yards and two TDs playing for Gattis last season. Mallory should exceed those numbers in 2022.

Mallory has been mentioned for multiple preseason All-ACC teams in 2022. Athlon Sports named Mallory second-team preseason All-ACC. Louisville TE Marshon Ford was named Athlon first-team All-ACC. Mallory enters the 2022 season as one of the most experience TEs in college football with 46 games and 38 starts.