Okonkwo named to Mackey Award watch list

Maryland junior tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo has been selected to the John Mackey Award Watch List, the school announced on Friday.

The Mackey Award is presented annually to the most outstanding tight end in college football. The award is named after NFL Hall of Famer John Mackey, widely considered to be the one of the best tight ends in the sport's history.

Okonkwo has appeared in all 24 games and scored six touchdowns since his arrival in College Park in 2018. Last season as a sophomore, he ranked second on the team in receptions (19) and third in receiving yards (201) while playing alongside graduate transfer Tyler Mabry.

A Powder Springs, Georgia native, Okonkwo made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2018, rushing three times for 72 yards with three touchdowns on the ground, while also catching six balls for 69 yards and another touchdown through the air.

Okonkwo is one of eight Big Ten tight ends named to the Mackey watch list along with Penn State's Pat Freiermuth, Indiana's Preyton Hendershot, Ohio State's Luke Farrell, Wisconsin's Jake Ferguson, Michigan's Nick Eubanks, Nebraska's Jack Stoll and Iowa's Sam Laporta. Big Ten tight ends have been recipients of the award in two of the past four seasons, with Michigan's Jake Butts taking home the hardware in 2016 and Iowa's T.J. Hockenson winning in 2018. Florida Atlantic's Harrison Bryant won the award last season after leading all Division I tight ends with 65 receptions and 1,004 receiving yards with seven touchdown catches.