Senior tight end Jack Doyle has earned preseason national recognition for the second year in a row.

Doyle was named to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award on Tuesday, given annually to the top tight end in college football.

He is the only representative from the Sun Belt Conference on the preseason list, which includes 32 other players from around the NCAA.

This is Doyle’s second year being named to the list. He has also been named to the first-team all-Sun Belt preseason team by several publications.

Last season he hauled in 52 catches for 614 yards, leading the Toppers in both categories and earning a second-team all-conference selection.

He led WKU in receiving in eight games last year.

Other notable tight ends on the watch list include Notre Dame’s Tyler Eifert, Auburn’s Phillip Lutzenkirchen and Alabama’s Michael Williams.

Past winners of the award include Florida’s Aaron Hernandez, Miami’s Kellen Winslow and Iowa’s Dallas Clark.