Willie Rodriguez Named a John Mackey Award Semifinalist
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky tight end Willie Rodriguez has been named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, honoring the nation’s best tight end, it was announced on Wednesday.
The award recognizes a tight end who embodies the excellence, versatility and impact that defined John Mackey’s legendary career. Throughout the selection process, the Mackey Award committee emphasizes the importance of evaluating a complete tight end, recognizing that player’s value extends well beyond the traditional box score.
Rodriguez, one of Kentucky’s elite offensive weapons, is enjoying the most prolific season of his career in 2026 under the direction of first-year head coach Will Stein. He is also a mainstay in the community and a leader on and off the field. In addition to the Mackey Award, Rodriguez is a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year honor. He is also a candidate for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
Rodriguez, a native of Taylor Mill, Kentucky, is a junior management major. The two-year letterwinner has played in 33 career games with 19 starting assignments. He has totaled 73 receptions for 809 yards and four scores in his Wildcat career. Rodriguez has caught a pass in 20 of the past 21 games and in 11 straight outings, including all nine games this season.
In the 2026 season, Rodriguez already has career highs in receptions (45), yards (405) and touchdowns (three) to help lead the 13th-ranked Cats to a 7-2 record overall and a 5-2 mark in the Southeastern Conference. Additionally, he is averaging a career-best 5.0 receptions per game and a career-high 45.0 yards per outing.
His 45 catches are the most of any tight end in the SEC and ranks fifth among all FBS tight ends. The 45 receptions are the most for a UK tight end in his first nine games of a season since James Whalen in 1999.
Rodriguez is the first tight end in program history to have at least five catches in five-consecutive SEC outings.
Showcasing his versatility, Rodriguez has also been asked to carry the ball out of the backfield with four rushes, including a touchdown.
Against Alabama, he had a career-best eight catches. It’s the most passes snared for a UK tight end since Jacob Tamme had nine vs. Tennessee in 2007. He had five catches for 57 yards in the comeback at South Carolina, but no snag was bigger than the walk-off winning 2-point conversion in overtime.
He then had five catches for 38 yards and two scores at Oklahoma. It marked the first time in his career he scored twice in the same outing.
Rodriguez had a team-high six receptions for 67 yards in the win over Vanderbilt. He followed that performance with five snares for 81 yards against Tennessee. It marked the most catches by a UK tight end in Knoxville, Tennessee, since Tamme’s seven passes for 120 yards in 2007.
UK’s 6-foot-4, 249-pound tight end notched his first career rushing touchdown against Vanderbilt. He lined up in the “Willie-cat” formation at the one-yard line, took a direct shotgun snap, rushed forward, stutter-stepped near the line of scrimmage, and then scooted untouched around the right end into the end zone.
Rodriguez’s commitment to service began at home, where he has helped care for his younger sister, Gabby, 19, who has Rett syndrome, a rare neurological and developmental disorder that primarily affects girls and impacts the way the brain develops. From an early age, he embraced the responsibilities of helping care for Gabby, assisting with her daily needs while serving as one of her biggest advocates and supporters. Through that experience, Rodriguez developed a deep sense of compassion, patience, and empathy that has shaped his character and inspired his desire to make a positive impact on those around him. The lessons he has learned from Gabby have fueled his passion for serving others, especially children, and have helped mold him into a servant leader who consistently puts the needs of others before his own.
Some of his community service events include volunteering at Golisano Children’s Hospital every Thursday, volunteering at Easterseals of the Bluegrass, a non-profit in Lexington that supports individuals and families with disabilities, volunteering to help at a shoe drive to benefit Camp Horsin’ Around, a local nonprofit that enriches the lives of children whose health is compromised or who have special needs by collaborating with organized groups to provide an outdoor camp adventure and volunteering at Gabby’s high school, Scott High School, where he played games and spent time with her classmates.
Three finalists will be unveiled on Nov. 24. The winner will be announced at the ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 11.
Rodriguez and the 13th-ranked Cats return to action on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. ET against Florida. The game will air live from Kroger Field on ESPN.
