ORLANDO – Following a remarkable campaign in his first season with the Black and Gold, UCF football tight end Dylan Wade has been named to the John Mackey Award Watch List.
Presented annually to the most outstanding tight end in college football, the John Mackey Award honors the legacy of Pro Football Hall of Famer John Mackey, whose excellence, leadership, character, and impact on the game continue to inspire generations of student-athletes. Established in 2000 by the Nassau County Sports Commission, the award remains one of college football's premier individual honors for the tight end position. The watchlist represents programs from every level of major college football and highlights players who have demonstrated talent, leadership and potential heading into the upcoming season.
Wade posted the best season by a UCF tight end in the program’s FBS history, hauling in 43 receptions for 523 yards and five touchdowns. He led the 2025 receiving corps in touchdowns while finishing second in catches and receiving yards. Wade posted the most impressive stat line of his career in UCF's 17-14 comeback win over Oklahoma State (Nov. 22), hauling in a pair of touchdowns on four catches for 145 yards. One catch in the contest against the Cowboys was an 83-yard touchdown reception on the first play after halftime, the longest reception of his career and tied for the sixth-longest reception in UCF's history. He tallied five or more catches in five games, including a season-high six against Houston (Nov. 7) and at No. 6 Texas Tech (Nov. 15).