Penn State tight ends Theo Johnson and Brenton Strange were named to the John Mackey Award preseason watch list, and center Juice Scruggs was named as a player to watch for the Dave Rimington Trophy.
The Mackey Award, named for Syracuse and Baltimore Colts legend is given annually to the nation’s best tight end. The Rimington Trophy is awarded to the America’s best center.
Strange is entering his redshirt junior season and Johnson are is going into his sophomore year. Last season, Strange caught 19 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns, and Johnson caught the same number of balls for 13 fewer yards and one score.
Scruggs is the team’s expected center, and is slated to enter his first full season playing at the position, replacing the departed Mike Miranda.
No Penn State player has ever won the Mackey Award, and A.Q. Shipley is the only Penn State player to win the Rimington Trophy, doing so in 2008.