Notre Dame's Jones Named To Mackey Award Watch List

Notre Dame sophomore tight end Alize Jones was named to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, given to college football’s best tight end.

The John Mackey Award Selection Committee picks the winner, which will be announced on Dec. 7. Notre Dame has one previous winner of the Mackey Award, which was created in 2000: Tyler Eifert in 2012.

Of the 45 players on the watch list, only five are sophomores. No freshmen are listed.

Rated as the No. 1 tight end nationally by ESPN.com and 247Sports coming out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev., Jones started five games in 2015 and finished with 13 catches for 190 yards.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder is expected to lead a resurgence at the tight end position this year for the Irish.

Last season marked the lowest overall production — 20 catches for 233 yards — at the position since Bob Davie’s final season as a head coach in 2001 when Notre Dame tight ends totaled just eight catches.

The 16 previous winners of the Mackey Award have averaged 54 catches and 687 yards.

Coming Thursday: Lou Groza Award and Ray Guy Award watch lists released