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PROVO, Utah (July 25, 2006) -- The Nassau County Sports Commission has announced BYU seniors Jonny Harline and Daniel Coats are two of 30 candidates listed on the preseason watchlist for the 2006 John Mackey Award. Given annually to the best collegiate tight end in the nation, the Mackey Award will be announced in December.
Harline, ranked by The Sporting News as the fourth-best tight end in the country, will enter the 2006 season as the top-returning tight end in the country after recording a team-best 63 receptions for 853 yards in 2005. He was credited with five touchdowns on the season. Coats makes the list for the third consecutive season. He recorded 21 receptions for 189 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Known as a school that has produced it's fair share of talented quarterbacks, BYU is also becoming recognized as a hotbed for top tight ends. Over the past few years, BYU has produced a handful of current NFL tight ends, including Doug Jolley (New York Jets), Itula Mili (Seattle Seahawks) and Chad Lewis (Philadelphia Eagles). Other top Cougar tight ends include All-Americans Byron Rex, Chris Smith, Trevor Molini, David Mils, Gordon Hudson and Clay Brown.
NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played tight end. Mackey was a role model on and off the field as demonstrated by his Super Bowl Championship, his commitment to the community and his place in history as the first president of the NFL Players Association.
Presented since 2000, the John Mackey Award has been presented to five players, including Dallas Clark (2001), Daniel Graham (2002), Kellen Winslow, Jr. (2003), Heath Miller (2004) and Marcedes Lewis (2005).
