Oregon senior David Paulson was named to the preseason watch list for the 2011 John Mackey Award, presented to the top collegiate tight end each year, late last week.
Last season, D.J. Williams from the University of Arkansas claimed the award, and this year’s field looks to be just as impressive. Paulson, a 6-foot-4, 241-pounder, will be joined on the watch list by Rhett Ellison of USC, Coby Fleener of Stanford, Joe Halahuni of Oregon State, and Anthony Miller of California as the five Pacific-12 Conference representatives.@@http://www.johnmackeyaward.org/?DB_OEM_ID=500@@
The Mackey Award was established in 2001, and will carry added significance in 2011 with John Mackey’s death on July 6. He was 69.
John “Mack Truck” Mackey, a Syracuse graduate, played in the National Football League for 10 years and chosen to the Pro Bowl five times, while also being named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team and to the league’s 50th Anniversary squad.@@http://www.nassausports.org/sports-awards/pages/john-mackey-award/@@
Paulson is also on the watch list for the College Football Performance Awards’ Tight End Trophy. Teammates Kenjon Barner (Punt Returner Trophy), John Boyett (Defensive Back Trophy), Cliff Harris (Defensive Back Trophy, Punt Returner Trophy), LaMichael James (Running Back Trophy), Jackson Rice (Punter Trophy) and Darron Thomas (Quarterback Trophy) are also on various CFPA watch lists.
Paulson will also be Oregon’s player representative at Pac-12 Media Day on July 26 in Los Angeles.