NEW YORK – Texas junior tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders was named to the John Mackey Award watch list, The Friends of John Mackey announced on Friday. It marks the second consecutive year in which Sanders has landed on the preseason watch list for the award that honors college football's most outstanding tight end.
Sanders, a Denton, Texas native, has appeared in 25 games with 13 starts. The third-year tight end earned first-team all-conference accolades last season from the league's coaches and the Associated Press after hauling in 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns, leading Big 12 tight ends in receptions and receiving yards and ranking second in touchdowns.