Football’s Nelson Earns Spot on Mackey Award Watch List
TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State University football student-athlete De’Marieya Nelson has been named to the 2014 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List, the committee announced Tuesday.
The Mackey Award is given annually to the nation’s most outstanding tight end.
Nelson earned 2013 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention recognition and proved to be one of the most versatile athletes in the nation as he starred on the Devils’ special teams units, played both tight end and running back, and lined up as a defensive end.
He appeared in all 14 games in 2013 and his four total touchdowns were fifth most on the team. He tallied 107 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns on seven receptions, rushed for 53 yards and two touchdowns on 15 attempts, and recorded 16 tackles, including 12 solo, and forced two fumbles with one recovery.
Nelson, a redshirt senior from Stockon, Calif., is one of six Pac-12 student-athletes on the watch list.
Former Sun Devil tight end Chris Coyle (2009-13) earned a spot on the award’s watch list in 2013.
2014 Sun Devil Award Watch Lists
Mackey Award (nation’s most outstanding tight end) – De’Marieya Nelson
Maxwell Award (America's College Player of the Year) – D.J. Foster, Taylor Kelly, Jaelen Strong
Hornung Award (nation's most versatile player) – Foster
Quarterback Taylor Kelly was also named to the College Football Performance Awards Quarterback Trophy Watch List, the organization announced Tuesday.
ASU opens its campaign toward the Pac-12 Championship on Aug. 28 at Sun Devil Stadium against Weber State and the remaining home schedule includes UCLA on Sept. 25, a rematch with Stanford on Oct. 18 and a non-conference game with Notre Dame on Nov. 8.
Season tickets are currently on sale at www.sundeviltickets.com, by calling the Sun Devil Athletics Ticket Office at 480-965-5812, making an appointment with a Sun Devil Sales and Service staff member, or visiting the Sun Devil Ticket Office, located on the south end of Sun Devil Stadium. The ticket office is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Click here for pricing and more information about Sun Devil Football season tickets.
In addition to guaranteeing the same seat for all 2014 home games, becoming a Sun Devil Football Season Ticket Holder is the only way to guarantee tickets to the Notre Dame game on Nov. 8, 2014, at Sun Devil Stadium.
About the Mackey Award
The award recipient is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee and the 2014 John Mackey recipient will be announced on Dec. 10, 2014 and then presented live on Dec. 11, 2014 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU. Other key dates include the announcement of the 2014 Mackey Midseason Watch List on Oct. 13, 2014, the 2014 Mackey Semifinalists on Nov. 17, 2014 and the 2014 Mackey Finalists on Nov. 24, 2014. All future announcements can be found at www.johnmackeyaward.com.
NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. A tight end by whom all others are measured, Mackey was a role model on and off the field as demonstrated by his Super Bowl Championship, his commitment to community and his place in history as the first President of the NFLPA.
The John Mackey Award presented since 2000, lists thirteen alumni to 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) of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Marcedes Lewis (‘05) of the Jacksonville Jaguars, 2008 Super Bowl Champion Matt Spaeth (‘06) of the of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fred Davis (‘07), Chase Coffman (‘08), Aaron Hernandez (‘09), D.J. Williams (‘10) of the New England Patriots, Dwayne Allen (’11) of the Indianapolis Colts, Tyler Eifert (’12) of the Cincinnati Bengals and Austin Seferian-Jenkins (’13) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.