Arkansas TE Jeremy Sprinkle makes 2016 John Mackey Award Midseason List

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

The Razorbacks have been established as “Running Back U” but an argument could be made that Arkansas is also “Tight End U.” On Wednesday, the John Mackey Award, the award handed out to the top collegiate tight end in the nation, announced their midseason finalist naming Hogs’ senior standout Jeremy Sprinkle to the list.

Sprinkle had a breakout junior season for the Razorbacks pulling in 27 passes for 389 yards with six touchdowns. The stat line is impressive, especially for a college tight end, but bears more weight knowing he was second-fiddle to Hunter Henry (San Diego Chargers). Henry ended the 2015 campaign securing 51 passes for 739 yards with three touchdowns. Henry’s performance earned him the John Mackey Award at the end of the season.

The Hogs have a different quarterback in the pocket this season, but the results for Sprinkle have been the same posting a stat line of 18 receptions for 194 yards with four touchdowns through six games. Sprinkle set Arkansas’ all-time career tight end touchdown mark finding the end zone for the eleventh time in his career against Alabama. The White Hall (AR) area product has a career stat line of 56 passes caught for 735 yards with 11 scores.

Should Sprinkle win the John Mackey Award, he helps put Arkansas on an elite level no school can match. The Hogs already have two Mackey Award winners, D.J. Williams (2010) and Hunter Henry. Since the award began in 2000, no other program has had two winners. Sprinkle’s spot among the Hogs’ all-time greats is there already, passing Williams for the all-time touchdown receptions.

The John Mackey Award midseason list includes 30 tight ends from across the nation with six total Southeastern Conference players making the cut.

Sprinkle’s next time out is on Saturday when the Razorbacks line up against Ole Miss.

Photo credit: wholehogsports.com; No. 83 Jeremy Sprinkle celebrates with No. 84 Hunter Henry (2015).