Gators junior tight end Aaron Hernandez has been named to the 2009 John Mackey Award watch and is given annually to the best collegiate tight end. The 2009 John Mackey winner will be announced on December 10, 2009.

Hernandez was also selected to the All-SEC preseason second-team by both the media and the leagues’ coaches. Last season, Hernandez started 11 games and caught 34 passes for 381 yards. He ranked first in the SEC in touchdowns by a tight end with five and led the Gators in receiving against Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship with five catches for 57 yards.

NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. A tight end by whom all others are measured, Mackey was a role model on and off the field as demonstrated
by his Super Bowl Championship, his commitment to community and his place in history as the first President of the NFLPA.

The John Mackey Award has been presented every year since 2000, listing
eight NFL players as alumni: Dallas Clark (’01) of the 2006 Super Bowl
Champion Indianapolis Colts, two-time Super Bowl Champion Daniel Graham
(’02) of the Denver Broncos, Kellen Winslow II (’03) of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, two-time Super Bowl Champion Heath Miller (’04) of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Marcedes Lewis (’05) of the Jacksonville Jaguars,
Matt Spaeth (’06) of the of the 2008 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh
Steelers, Fred Davis (’07) of the Washington Redskins and the 2008
John Mackey Award recipient Chase Coffman of the Cincinnati Bengals.