Miami Tight End Tabbed to Preseason Award Watch List Honors for Mackey Award

The Miami Hurricanes standout sophomore tight end Elija Lofton has been tabbed with his first preseason awards watch list, as the 2025 Mackey Award watch list has been revealed.

Entering year two, Lofton has all eyes on him after flashing glimpses of his game-breaking ability as a freshman. Even behind second-round pick Elijah Arroyo, he found his way on the field and was able to make plays when given the chance. This season, no one is holding him back as he prepares to be one of Carson Beck's most reliable targets, similar to how Brock Bowers was at Georgia for him.

The work speaks for itself 🙌

Elija Lofton EARNS a spot on the John Mackey Award Watch List — recognizing the nation’s best tight end. pic.twitter.com/YdalhEsL3U
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) August 9, 2025

2025 Preseason Watch List

Tanner Arkin, Illinois
Blake Bosma, Western Michigan
Gabe Burkle, Iowa State
Keyan Burnett, Arizona
Josh Cuevas, Alabama
Decker DeGraaf, Washington
Oscar Delp, Georgia
Khalil Dinkins, Penn State
Jack Endries, Texas
Eli Finley, Louisiana Tech
Dorian Fleming, Maryland
Kenny Fletcher, Rutgers
Jeremiah Franklin, Boston College
Jameson Geers, Minnesota
Benji Gosnell, Virginia Tech
Hayden Hansen, Florida
Luke Hasz, Ole Miss
River Helms, Georgia Southern
Matthew Hibner, SMU
Justin Joly, NC State
Miles Kitselman, Tennessee
Max Klare, Ohio State
Marlin Klein, Michigan
Tanner Koziol, Ball State
Matt Lauter, Boise State
Elija Lofton, Miami
Lawson Luckie, Georgia
RJ Maryland, SMU
Lake McCree, USC
Chamon Metayer, Arizona State
John Michael, Wyoming
Brett Norfleet, Missouri
Garrett Oakley, Kansas State
Zach Ortwerth, Iowa
Randy Pittman, Florida State
Sam Roush, Stanford
Joe Royer, Cincinnati
Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Bauer Sharp, LSU
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Landen Thomas, Florida State
Houston Thomas, UTSA
Michael Trigg, Baylor
Jack Veiling, Michigan State
Mason Williams, Ohio
Daequan Wright, Ole Miss

What is even better, is the full sample size the latest monster of Tight End "U" gets to be on Saturdays.

Obviously, he had a small sample size of what he could do last year with the room we had, but he’s taken that role [now] and he’s embraced it, as a leader and he knows that it’s his opportunity to really take that next step and he’s excited for it," Tight end coach Cody Woodiel said about Lofton. "He’s put in the necessary preparation. I believe it won’t fail him in the end. He’s showing up every day on Greentree. That’s where, as coaches, you want to see [it], because that’s going to be your reality on game day. I tell him every single day: ‘What’s your preparation and your practice performance? That’s going to be your reality on game day.’ And I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes out there and … he could be a dominant football player.”

Lofton has his eyes set on just being better. The taste of last season is still in his mouth, and being better is the only option.

“We still remember that moment from last year," Lofton said. "We just want to go out there, put our best foot forward and go win. That’s all we can really do. Can’t cry about it. Can’t do [anything] about it. All we’ve got to do now is keep working, keep attacking it day by day, play by play, and go out there and put our best foot forward and try to win.”

Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.

2025 Preseason Watch List

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