Jim Harbaugh produces quality tight ends. Plain and simple.
Zach Gentry and Sean McKeon are already on the Jake Butt trajectory, and preseason watch lists are validating that fact.
Gentry and McKeon were two of 64 players on the watch list released Friday for the John Mackey Award, handed out annually to the nation’s most outstanding tight end.
Watch List Alert
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) July 20, 2018
⁰@ZGentry10 and @Mckeon_Sean have been named to the @JohnMackeyAward Watch List. #GoBlue | #CFBWatchMe pic.twitter.com/YFLeGPtQEC
The tight end duo combined for five touchdown catches — more than half of Michigan’s total — and more than 600 receiving yards in 2017. Both also received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors last season.
Gentry is a redshirt junior and a converted quarterback from Albuquerque, New Mexico, while McKeon is a Dudley, Massachusetts product entering his sophomore campaign.
JButt is Michigan’s only Mackey Award-winner, taking home the honor in 2016.
The award’s namesake is NFL Hall of Famer John Mackey, who played college ball at Syracuse in the 1960’s.
The winner will be announced on Dec. 5, and then presented live on Dec. 6 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU.
The full list can be found here.