Ducks’ Paulson on Mackey Award watch list
Published 11:49 am Friday, July 8, 2011
Oregon senior David Paulson has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2011 John Mackey Award, presented annually to the top collegiate tight end.
Paulson, an Auburn Riverside product, is one of five Pac-12 players and 34 overall under consideration for the award, which will be announced Dec. 8 at the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards show.
Paulson, one of Oregon’s weapons in its explosive spread attack, is a preseason first-team All-Pac-12 choice. The Ducks, 12-1 and ranked No. 3 after last season, averaged 47 points a game in 2010, the best in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Paulson is coming off a solid junior season in which he caught 24 passes for 418 yards (a team-leading 17.4 yards per catch) and four touchdowns.
Paulson made three catches for 48 yards in the BCS title game.
Paulson was as an honorable mention All-America selection by SI.com, and a first-team All-Pac-10 performer, according to the conference coaches and Scout.com, and a second-team choice by Phil Steele. A gifted student, Paulson has was one of just four conference players to be named first-team All-Pac-10 and All-Academic.
In Oregon’s spring game in Eugene, Paulson led the White Team with four catches for 42 yards.
Paulson will join coach Chip Kelly as Oregon’s player representative at the Pac-12 Media Day on July 26 in Los Angeles.
Other Ducks appearing on various preseason watch lists are: Kenjon Barner (punt returner trophy), John Boyett (defensive back trophy), Cliff Harris (defensive back trophy, punt returner trophy), LaMichael James (running back trophy), Jackson Rice (punter trophy) and Darron Thomas (quarterback trophy).
The Ducks, two-time defending conference champions, open the season against LSU at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sept. 3 (5 p.m., Channel 4).
