Baylor's Sims Named to Mackey Award Watch List
Bears Senior Ben Sims was named to the John Mackey Award Watch List Friday, an award given annually to college football's best tight end.
He is the first Bear named to the watch list since 2017.
Sims has become a mainstay over the last two seasons, making 20 career starts and hauling in 47 receptions in his time at Baylor, the fifth most by a tight end in program history. His nine touchdowns are the most ever by a Bears tight end.
Sims broke out in 2021 with 31 receptions for 361 yards and six touchdowns, all career highs. He became a safety blanket for the Bears in the passing game, no matter who was at quarterback, in the program's winningest season.
The San Antonio native was crucial in the Big 12 Championship Game as well, with four catches for 34 yards and the opening touchdown against Oklahoma State.
After failing to bring in Big 12 honors after a stellar 2021 season, Sims is a preseason All-Big 12 selection by the Big 12 media.
Now, Sims is graded among the best in the country at his position. Previous Mackey winners include NFL Pro Bowlers Dallas Clark, Kellen Winslow and Heath Miller.
Sims joins 14 Bears teammates on preseason watch lists. The Mackey Award winner will be announced on December 8 at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show.
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Covering Baylor for Inside The Bears and the Locked on Baylor podcast. You can follow me for more Baylor content at @realcamstuart on Twitter. Originally from Rockland, Massachusetts and a Baylor alum, so I might mix the occasional bias and/or Boston sports tweet in there every once in a while.