Miami Hurricanes tight end Will Mallory was named to the 2021 John Mackey Award Watch List on Friday.

Mallory filled in a nice secondary role for Miami last season, as he formed a tandem with Brevin Jordan. He recorded 22 catches for 329 yards and four touchdowns last season. Mallory had many productive games last fall. He had some really good, productive games. One of those games included a two-catch 51-yard performance against Pittsburgh. Both those catches went for touchdowns.

He also played well against North Carolina State on November 6. In that contest, he recorded eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.

With Jordan out of the picture, Mallory may figure to play a bigger role for the Miami Hurricanes in the fall. I touched on it a little bit earlier in the week. Mallory has size and ability to run after the catch. That should bode well for him as D’Eriq King looks to play even better than he did in 2020. Instead of playing the backup role, he will now take center stage.

There are some big-time names on this watch list, and Mallory will certainly have a chance to stand out from the rest of the pack. With how open the Miami Hurricanes want to make their offense, Mallory should be able to have plenty of balls thrown his way. Mallory should figure to be a key part of the Miami hurricanes offense, and it will be interesting to see how he takes over the starting role.

He has as good a shot as anybody to win this award. If he can continue to be a dependable target like he was last season, he has a very good shot. Consistent production from the tight end spot will be key for Miami if they want to contend with the elite of college football.