NEW YORK – For the fourth straight season, the University of South Alabama football program will have a candidate in consideration for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end. On Tuesday, rising junior Maaseiah Francis was included on the Preseason John Mackey Award Watch List released by the Friends of John Mackey.
Francis is projected to start for the Jaguars this fall, his second season at South. Last year, as the Jags' primary option at the position behind eventual NFL Draft selection Gerald Everett, Francis finished with 18 receptions for 261 yards and two touchdowns; both scores came after he led all players with seven catches for 146 yards at Idaho.
That performance was one week after he replaced an injured Everett and made a game-high five catches for 36 yards as USA defeated Presbyterian. Francis — who hails from Lithonia, Ga. — also had two receptions for 28 yards at Arkansas State while posting a 26-yard catch in a win over Nicholls in the opening month of the season.
Francis has been named preseason second-team all-Sun Belt Conference during the offseason by both Phil Steele Publications and Athlon Sports.
Fourteen previous winners of the John Mackey Award — which was first presented in 2000 — have played in the NFL. It is named in honor of NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey, who is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position.
The award recipient is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee, with the 2017 recipient slated to be announced on Dec. 6 and then presented live on the following night at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Jaguar Athletic Fund (JAF) Priority Fund, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to the Priority Fund directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/sports/2013/3/13/Gridiron%20Club.aspx?id=22
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