4 Cincinnati Bearcats make watch lists for college football's most prestigious awards

As the Cincinnati Bearcats opening football game with Nebraska is less than three weeks away, preseason honors keep coming in to the young men toiling at Nippert Stadium and the Sheakley Indoor Practice Facility.

On Aug. 8, senior tight end Joe Royer was added to the Mackey Award Watch List.

The Mackey Award is presented annually to the nation's top tight end.

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A First Team All-Big 12 honoree in his first season at UC, Royer broke the single-season school record for receptions by a tight end with 50, besting Travis Kelce’s mark of 45 from 2012. Royer’s 50 catches went for 521 yards and he snared three touchdown passes. The Cincinnati native from Elder High School led all Big 12 tight ends in receptions and receiving yards last season.

Both Royer and nose tackle Dontay Corleone from Colerain High made the Big 12's preseason First Team.

Both had NFL opportunities this past spring if they wanted them and Royer turned down an invite to the Reese's Senior Bowl to return with "The Godfather" and quarterback Brendan Sorsby. All three took the floor at halftime of the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout basketball game last Dec. 14 at Fifth Third Arena. Wes Miller's squad came back from a halftime deficit, so maybe it was a sign of good things to come.

"We had a nice little crowd pop," Royer said.

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UC quarterback Brendan Sorsby makes Davey O'Brien list

On Aug. 7, the day before Royer was named to the Mackey watch list, Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Sorsby was named to the Davey O'Brien watch list. The award goes annually to the nation's top quarterback.

Sorsby was the only FBS quarterback last season with a 425-yard passing game and a 125-yard rushing game, and he was one of just four FBS players with at least 2,800 (2,813) passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns, and nine rushing touchdowns. Sorsby is also on the Maxwell Award watch list recognizing the top player in college football. He was fifth in the Big 12 last season in terms of quarterback efficiency.

UC center Gavin Gerhardt named to Rimington Award list

The nation's top center is given the Rimington Award, named after former Cincinnati Bengals center Dave Rimington. Gerhardt has made that watch list in his sixth year with the Bearcats. Gerhardt, from Xenia High, has made 36 starts in his UC career, including all 12 last season. He's been part of the offensive line that plowed the holes for Corey Kiner to have back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons.

Pro Football Focus has rated Gerhardt as one of the top centers in the Big 12 the past two seasons.

Gerhardt is also up for the Wuerffel Trophy and the Allstate Good Works award. The Wuerffel Award honors community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement. The Allstate AFCA Good Works award also recognizes off-field achievements.

Don't forget about Dontay Corleone

In addition to his preseason Big 12 accolades, Corleone is on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski and Outland Trophy awards. The Nagurski award is for the nation's top offensive player, while the Outland Trophy goes to the best interior lineman in college football.

Corleone is a three-time all-conference selection (two Big 12, one American) and in 2022 was rated by Pro Football Focus as the country's top-rated defensive lineman. He overcame blood clots in his lungs last season to play and has had a healthy winter, spring and summer thus far.

"What a difference a year makes," UC defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt said. "He's probably in the best shape I know since I've been here. Mentally, he's in a great spot and that's certainly more than half of it."

The NFL Mock Draft Database currently list Corleone as the eighth defensive lineman off the board in the 2026 draft with the 50th pick overall. The same "big board" lists teammate Joe Royer as the sixth tight end drafted with the 106th pick overall.

Former ESPN analyst Todd McShay, now of The Ringer and Spotify, is bullish on Royer listing him as a first-round pick this past May.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 4 Cincinnati Bearcats on top college football award watch lists