Jaguar Tight End Wes Saxton Named To John Mackey Preseason Watch List
Jaguar tight end Wes Saxton catches a pass from Ross Metheny against FIU in 2012. Saxton is the first Jaguar to be named to the John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List.
The National College Football Awards Association released their preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end. On that list of 40 student-athletes was University of South Alabama tight end Wes Saxton.
Saxton, a 6’4″ 240-pound Hueytown, Alabama native, earned a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection last season as a junior while ranking among the top five tight ends nationally in both repections and receiving yards. He tied for the team lead with 50 catches and gained 635 yards receiving, both of those were career-highs. He is a preseason All-SBC selection at tight end in both the Phil Steele Publications and Athlon Sports heading into the 2014 season.
The Midseason Watch List is set to be announced on October 13 with the 2014 John Mackey Semifinalists will be announced on November 17 and the award finalists will be announced on November 24. The winner will be announced on December 10 and they will be presented the award on December 11 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU.
One other Sun Belt Conference tight ends were named to the preseason watch list as well. Arkansas State’s Darion Griswold was also named to the list. Other schools with players on the preseason watch list include Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Louisville, Ole Miss, Oregon State, Alabama, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Notre Dame and South Carolina who the Jags will face in November.
South Alabama will begin their 2014 season on September 6 at Kent State with kickoff slated for 1pm on ESPN3.