NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference has four preseason candidates for the 2019 John Mackey Award — presented annually to the nation's best college tight end - as announced by the Rimington Trophy Committee on Friday.
Appalachian State’s Collin Reed, Arkansas State’s Javonis Isaac, Coastal Carolina's Isaiah Likely, and Louisiana's Johnny Lumpkin were among the 60 candidates listed.
Reed leads active Sun Belt Conference tight ends with nine career touchdown catches, including eight during the previous two seasons. Only two players on the 2018 preseason watch list had more touchdown catches the previous year than Reed's five as an App State sophomore, and he added three more to his total as a junior.
All three of his TD catches in 2018 occurred in league play, including a road win in which he hauled in a 43-yard reception on App State's first play from scrimmage at Texas State. Reed also contributes as a blocker for a program that has ranked in the top 25 nationally in both rushing yards per game and fewest sacks allowed for five straight seasons.
Isaac was named Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference last season after ending the season with 12 receptions for 210 yards and four touchdowns despite missing three games due to injury. His totals for receiving yards and touchdowns ranked as the second and third most in the league among tight ends, respectively.
The Lafayette, La., native was a Phil Steele’s Second Team All-Sun Belt pick a year ago as well. Heading into the 2019 season, he has also been tabbed preseason first team all-conference by Lindy’s, Street & Smith’s, Athlon Sports and College Football News. Phil Steele’s listed him as the 30th-ranked draft eligible tight end in the nation.
Likely played in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2018. The first-year Chant finished the season tied for the team lead with five touchdown receptions on the year, coming on strong at the end of the year by hauling in nine passes for 57 yards and four touchdowns over the last three games.
Lumpkin appeared in 13 games in 2018, making seven starts. In those games, he hauled in six passes for 67 yards, including a career-best, 27-yard grab at Troy on Nov. 3.
Given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end, the award recipient is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee and the 2019 Mackey Award recipient will be announced on December 11, 2019 and then presented live on December 12, 2019 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU.
The John Mackey Award presented since 2000, recognizes fifteen alumni that have played in the NFL: two-time Super Bowl Champion Daniel Graham (‘01), 2006 Super Bowl Champion Dallas Clark (‘02), Kellen Winslow II (‘03), two-time Super Bowl Champion Heath Miller (‘04), Marcedes Lewis (‘05) of the Green Bay Packers, 2008 Super Bowl Champion Matt Spaeth (‘06), Fred Davis (‘07), Chase Coffman (‘08), D.J. Williams (‘10), Dwayne Allen (’11) of the Miami Dolphins, Tyler Eifert (’12) of the Cincinnati Bengals, Austin Seferian-Jenkins (’13), Nick O’Leary (’14) of the Miami Dolphins, Hunter Henry (’15) of the Los Angeles Chargers, Jake Butt (‘16) of the Denver Broncos, Mark Andrews (’17) of the Baltimore Ravens and 2018 John Mackey Award recipient T.J. Hockenson of the Detroit Lions.