Penn State’s Tyler Warren, Nick Dawkins Honored With Mackey Award, Wuerffel Trophy

Penn State football is headed to the CFP.

The team is preparing to host SMU in State College on December 21st in the first ever College Football Playoff game at Beaver stadium.

That said, there was a break in that prep as college awards winners were announced on Thursday night and Penn State found themselves with three finalists.

First off, tight end Tyler Warren found himself as the recipient of the Mackey Award.

Named for Hall of Famer John Mackey, the award is given annually to the best tight end in college football. He joins a recent list of winners who are also almost all high-quality NFL players in Brock Bowers (twice), Trey McBride, Kyle Pitts, Harrison Bryant, TJ Hockenson and Mark Andrews.

Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. was the other finalist with a real shot at the award.

Warren has 88 receptions for 1062 yards and six touchdowns along with 23 rushes for 191 yards (four rushing touchdowns). He also has three passes for 35 yards and a touchdown. His versatility has been on display as he’s lined up as the center, as the tight end, as the running back, as the full back, as the quarterback, etc. Whatever position you want on offense, he can play it.

CONFIRMED. ☑️

The Best Tight End In College Football#WeAre x #TylerWarren pic.twitter.com/7Bd0NjTOSr

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 13, 2024

Warren is the first PSU tight end to be honored with the award.

Penn State OL Nick Dawkins was next up for the awards.

He was named the recipient of the 

The award is named for Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel and is given annually to college football’s leader in community service and academics.

And yes, Dawkins is related to the late Sixer Darryl Dawkins – he is his son.

No one more deserving. 🤝

College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service#WeAre x @TheNickDawkins pic.twitter.com/BBpgj2R7nu

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 13, 2024

Nick Dawkins helps run the Dawkins family foundation and has been the starting center for the Nittany Lions for the season.

He is Penn State’s first recipient of the trophy, though it is one of the newest college awards (first awarded in 2005).

Finally, Abdul Carter, Penn State’s projected first-round DE/LB, was a finalist for the Bednarik Award.

The award was named after Eagles Legend Chuck Bednarik and is given annually to the best defensive player in college.

Those voters might as well wrap it up, because they spit in the face of Bednarik’s legacy on Thursday night by choosing Travis Hunter to win the award.

Yes, the player who wasn’t even a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (given to the best defensive back) was somehow named the best defensive player in college.

Hunter is barely a top-10 DB in many categories and doesn’t play any other defensive position, but the voters evidently thought his 32 tackles, 11 defensed passes and four interceptions against far worse competitions was better than Carter’s ability to rush the passer or drop into coverage as he recorded 60 tackles (20 for loss), 10 sacks, two forced fumbles and three passes defended.

That’s right, the losers that are allowed to vote for the Bednarik award selected a guy who isn’t even top three at the only defensive position he plays was a better defender than the guy who is swapping between two positions and considered almost universally a top-10 pick in the draft and one of the two best defenders available.

Carter would have been PSU’s fifth Bednarik Award winner.