48 Days Until FSU Football: Nick O’Leary Catches 48 Passes in 2014 Season

There are 48 days until Florida State football begins the 2018 season. As part of the offseason, we’re highlighting players, games, and specific moments from FSU football history.

On Monday, it was the 1949 FSU team becoming the first ever to win a bowl game.

Today, it’s former tight end Nick O’Leary catching 48 passes during his 2014 season that won him the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end.

You may have heard of Jack Nicklaus. But did you hear that his grandson was a college football tight end? A pretty good one at that?

All joking aside, Nick O’Leary went down as probably the greatest tight end in FSU history. His reliability as both a receiver and blocker made him a favorite of every quarterback who played with him. O’Leary didn’t have superb athleticism or speed, but he could still go off on a defense, thanks to his toughness and solid football IQ.

In 2014, it became obvious how essential he was to the FSU offense.

Most thought O’Leary would simply repeat his performance from 2013. Instead, thanks to a young receiving corps, O’Leary hauled in career-highs with 48 receptions and 618 receiving yards. He and Rashad Greene were the two veterans that quarterback Jameis Winston could rely on to execute their routes and consistently catch the ball.

Nick O’Leary is the only FSU tight end to win the Mackey Award and the school’s all-time leader in touchdowns by a tight end. (FSU athletics)

He also had a knack for showing up in crucial situations. In close contests vs. Clemson, Louisville, Boston College, Florida, and Georgia Tech, O’Leary made 22 receptions for 362 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those came against Florida on back-to-back offensive possessions, which allowed the Seminoles to regain momentum and take the lead.

The greatest season by an FSU tight end was properly recognized with a John Mackey Award (the first in program history) and a Consensus All-American selection. It’s doubtful that FSU goes undefeated in the regular season if O’Leary is not there to bail out the offense.

O’Leary was selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He is currently with the Buffalo Bills, where he has started in 12 games over the past two seasons.