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.