Allen wins Mackey Award

On Thursday night, Clemson tight end Dwayne Allen was named the Mackey Award winner.

TE Dwayne Allen Profile

This season, Allen has 48 catches for 577 yards and eight touchdowns.

"This is a great honor," he said. "This is a dream come true. Ever since I found out there was an award for the best tight end it has been a goal to win the John Mackey award.

"I want to thank head coach Dabo Swinney, my position coach Danny Pearman, offensive coordinator Chad Morris and all of my teammates. They have all had a great impact on our success this year and they are the reason I am here (in Orlando) tonight."

Allen's two touchdown catches in the ACC Championship gave him one more than former Pittsburgh Steeler great Bennie Cunningham had in 1974 when he was named a first-team All-American. Allen now has 12 touchdown receptions for his career, tied for first in school history with another former Steeler tight end, John McMakin.

Allen is the third Clemson player to win a national position award. In 1982, Terry Kinard was named CBS National Defensive Player of the Year. Last year Da’Quan Bowers won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the top defensive player in the nation, and won the Ted Hendricks Award as the top defensive end.

Previous winners include Dallas Clark, Kellen Winslow II, Heath Miller, Marcedes Lewis, Fred Davis and Aaron Hernandez.

Also considered for this year's award was Georgia's Orson Charles
and Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert.