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When I saw that the watch list for the 2013 John Mackey Award, named for the legendary Syracuse Orange tight end and given to college football's best at that position each season, I didn't expect to see any Orange on the list. But when I realized that senior Beckett Wales made the cut, I finally remembered that, oh yeah, he's pretty good.
He's Lord Beckett of Wales, for chrissake.
Wales is coming off his first season as Syracuse's main TE target, garnering 35 receptions for 389 yards and two TDs. Whoever ends up at QB for SU is probably going to rely heavily on him this season to move the ball down the field as they get used to the position and the passing game.
Wales has a lot to live up to at the position. Not only is there the aforementioned Mackey looming over it but we're only a couple years removed from Nick Provo, SU's all-time leading TE receiver. Similar to Wales, Provo caught 33 passes his junior season before turning that into 51 as a senior. Let's hope Wales can emulate that growth.