In what has felt inevitable for months, Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is officially the programโs first John Mackey Award winner.
CONFIRMED. โ๏ธ
The Best Tight End In College Football#WeAre x #TylerWarren pic.twitter.com/7Bd0NjTOSr
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 13, 2024
The Mackey Award, which is presented annually to Americaโs top tight end, has only been around since 2000. That means Penn State tight end greats such as Ted Kwalick and Kyle Brady werenโt eligible to win.
But being the schoolโs first winner still says a lot because Penn State has had some quality tight ends since 2000.
In Warrenโs time at Penn State alone, the school has produced Brenton Strange (Jaguars) and Theo Johnson (Giants). Those two are now among the most promising young tight ends in the NFL.
Thatโs where Warren will be next season.
A YEAR FOR THE AGES
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Penn State TE Tyler Warren
To say a player had a โseason for the agesโ is often hyperbole. Not in Warrenโs case.
No Penn State tight end in history is doing what Warren is doing in 2024. His receiving statsโ 1,062 yards and six touchdowns on 88 receptionsโ are impressive. But Warren has also been a force at times running the ball. Heโs picked up 191 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries. Kyle Golik of MikeFarrellSports.com put it like this:
โOn the field, Warren has been used in every single facet offensively for Penn State this season from having a passing touchdown against Kent State โ which isnโt unique, but coupled by the fact Warrenโs four rushing touchdowns from the tight end position are the most by a Big Ten tight end since 1956, he leads the Power 4 amongst tight ends in total touchdowns, yards per reception, and yards per game. Warren against Southern California had 17 receptions which tied a FBS record for most receptions by a tight end in a single game. That was also Warrenโs season highlight of snapping the ball and then because he was eligible to be a receiver caught a Drew Allar touchdown pass.โ
THE OTHER NOMINEES
KALAMAZOO, MI – NOVEMBER 21: Bowling Green Falcons tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) catches the ball during the college football game between the Ball State Cardinals and Western Michigan Broncos on November 21, 2023, at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, MI. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire)
Warren was one of eight finalists for the award, with others being Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green), Colston Loveland (Michigan), Mitchell Evans (Notre Dame), Mason Taylor(LSU), Tanner Koziol (Ball State), Gunnar Helm (Texas) and Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt).
The biggest threat Tyler Warren had to winning the Mackey was undoubtedly Fannin. Fannin is tied for second in the country among all pass catchers with 100 receptions and leads all pass catchers with 1,342 yards, adding nine touchdowns. 11 of those catches and 137 of those yards came against Penn State Sept. 6. If anybody could have beat Warren, Fannin was the guy.
Penn State takes on SMU in its first-ever College Football Playoff game Saturday, Dec. 21 at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on TNT/Paramount+.
