Michigan has two tight ends, center on Mackey, Rimington watch lists

By Aaron McMann | Two new Michigan names appeared on a preseason watch list Friday, while a third showed up for a second time. Tight ends A. J.

Barner and Colston Loveland are on the John Mackey Award watch list, and center Drake Nugent appeared on the Rimington Trophy watch list, both unveiled this afternoon. Barner and Loveland are among 48 names on the Mackey Award list, handed out annually to college football’s best tight end. Loveland is coming off an impressive freshman season that saw him catch 16 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns, while Barner, a senior in his first season at Michigan, had 28 catches for 199 yards at Indiana.

Both are projected to play a ton in Michigan’s physical, run-first offense this year, setting themselves up for a big season. Meanwhile, Nugent, a transfer from Stanford who was on the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list in 2022, was an all-Pac 12 honorable mention selection last year. He entered preseason camp as the favorite to land the starting job at Michigan.

Nugent was already listed on the Outland Trophy preseason watch list, awarded to the nation’s best interior linemen. The Rimington Trophy goes to the best center. Michigan’s Olusegun Oluwatimi won the Rimington Trophy last year.

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