After breakout season, Texas' Ja'Tavion Sanders named to John Mackey Award watch list

Austin American-Statesman
Texas junior Ja'Tavion Sanders was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award last year, which goes to the best tight end in college football. In 2023, he'll be going for the win, as The Friends of John Mackey announced on Friday that he was named to the preseason watchlist for the second straight year.
A Denton, TX product, Sanders signed with Texas as a five-star ATH with questions on whether he'd play on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. He didn't play much in his freshman year but broke out as a sophomore tight end in 2022.
He earned first-team all-conference accolades from the league's coaches and the Associated Press after hauling in 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns, making him the Big 12 tight end leader in receptions and receiving yards and ranking second in touchdowns. His 54 receptions were the most for a tight end in a year in program history and his receiving yards tied for second-most in a season by a UT tight end.
Sanders was also selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team by the conference’s media representatives. He projects to be an important part of the Texas offense as one of their most dynamic pass catchers alongside Xavier Worthy.