Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt was named the winner for the 2022 Biletnikoff Award Thursday.
Hyatt is Tennessee’s first Biletnikoff Award winner.
UT press release:
Tennessee has its first Biletnikoff Award winner. The nation’s most explosive playmaker Jalin Hyatt captured the award, which goes to college football’s most outstanding receiver regardless of position, on Thursday night as part of the virtual ESPN College Football Awards.
Hyatt beat out two other finalists in Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. He was chosen in a vote by the Biletnikoff Award national selection committee made up of writers, broadcasters, eminent receivers and past award winners. The Biletnikoff Award, named in honor of Hall of Fame receiver Fred Biletnikoff, has been presented annually by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc., (TQCF) since 1994.
Hyatt is the sixth winner of the award from the SEC, and four out of the last five years have seen an SEC player take home the trophy. Tennessee joins Alabama and LSU as the only three SEC programs to produce a Biletnikoff Award winner.
Hyatt, a junior from Irmo, South Carolina, produced arguably the greatest regular season by a wide receiver in Tennessee history. He shattered the school record for receiving touchdowns with 15, a mark that also tied for the FBS lead and was tops among all Power Five players. The first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press and league coaches ranked fourth nationally in receiving yards with 1,267, which is 31 yards shy of tying the program record set by Marcus Nash in 1997.
Hyatt took home the SEC receiving triple crown—leading the league in receptions (67), receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. His explosive prowess was on display all season as he led the nation in 30+ yard catches (15), 40+ yard catches (11), 50+ yard catches (7) and 60+ yard catches (5).
Hyatt delivered one of the greatest wide receiver performances in SEC history in a 52-49 win over Alabama as he caught six passes for 207 yards and a school-record and SEC-record-tying five touchdown receptions. He became the first FBS player with five or more receiving touchdowns vs. an AP top five team since NC State’s Terry Holt did so vs. No. 3 Florida State on Nov. 8, 1997.
Hyatt will be formally presented with the trophy at the 29th annual Biletnikoff Award celebration in Tallahassee in the spring.
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