Greg Dulcich named to John Mackey Award Watch List

The tight end led UCLA football in receiving yards and touchdowns in 2020

Dorian Thompson-Robinson collected a few preseason watch list nods earlier in the week, and now it's his favorite target who's earning national recognition.

UCLA football tight end Greg Dulcich was one of the 56 players named to the John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List on Friday morning. The award is given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end by the John Mackey Award Selection Committee.

Dulcich put up 517 yards and five touchdowns on 26 catches in 2020, leading the Bruins in receiving yards and scores and ranking second in receptions. Although he did not make the First Team All-Pac-12 – that honor went to Washington's Cade Otton – Dulcich was still named to the Second Team All-Pac-12 and ranked No. 1 among the conference's tight ends in yards, touchdowns and receptions.

Even including receivers and running backs, Dulcich had the eighth-most receptions, second-most yards and second-most touchdowns in the conference. His 19.9 yards per reception topped the Pac-12 as well. Dulcich has now appeared in 21 games across his three years with the program and has recorded 628 yards and six touchdowns on 35 catches in those games.

The last time a UCLA tight end won the Mackey Award was when Marcedes Lewis brought it to Westwood in 2005.

UCLA has been on a tear at the tight end position since coach Chip Kelly got to town, starting with Caleb Wilson's 965-yard, 60-reception 2018 campaign. In 2019, it was Devin Asiasi who posted 641 yards on 44 catches, and both he and Wilson wound up getting selected in back-to-back NFL Drafts.

The other college football preseason award watch list released Friday was the Rimington Trophy, which goes to the nation's top center. UCLA's Sam Marrazzo was not included on the 40-player list, but seven other Pac-12 centers were.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins