Tag: Biletnikoff Award

Alabama WR Ryan Williams named semifinalist for Biletnikoff Award

Biletnikoff Award names Alabama Freshman WR Ryan Williams a semifinalist.

The first sign that Kalen DeBoer was going to be a problem in the SEC was when he landed elite five-star WR Ryan Williams in his first two weeks in Tuscaloosa. Many people considered Williams’s commitment to DeBoer to be similar to that of Julio Jones to Nick Saban. 247 Sports ranked Williams as the No. 8 recruit in the 2024 class, and that was with him leaving high school a year early.

So far, the Alabama Crimson Tide phenom has lived up to the billing with 40 receptions for 767 yards and eight TDs as well as three carries for 53 yards and two scores. He also maybe made the play of the year in college football with an acrobatic 75-yard game-winning touchdown against Georgia. Williams has grown from being an electric X-factor in the offense to one of the most reliable pieces as the season has progressed.

As a result of Williams’s outstanding play, the Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the nation’s top wide receiver, named him as one of 11 semi-finalists for this year’s award. Ole Miss’s Tre Harris is the only other player from the SEC on the list. Amari Cooper was Alabama’s first win back in 2014 followed by Jerry Jeudy in 2018 and DeVonta Smith in 2020.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren added to Biletnikoff Award watch list

Penn State’s receiving yardage leader is now officially on the radar for the nation’s top receiver award.

The Biletnikoff Award has historically been presented to the nation’s top wide receiver, but the award expanded the criteria to include any player who catches a football regardless of position. This allowed running backs and tight ends to be included in the mix, although the award still tends to go to a wide receiver. No player outside of the wide receiver position has ever received the Biletnikoff Award, although Penn State tight end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] would love to make some history and change that.

Warren was one of three players added to the Biletnikoff Award watch list on Wednesday. He is now the fifth tight end to appear on this year;’s watch list for the top receiver award. He is the only Nittany Lion to be listed on this year’s watch list, and Warren is hoping to bring the Biletnikoff Award back to Happy Valley.

Penn State has just one Biletnikoff Award winner in program history, and it just so happens to be the first player to win the Biletnikoff Award. [autotag]Bobby Engram[/autotag] was the inaugural Biletnikoff Award winner in 1994.

Warren currently leads Penn State in receiving and is among the Big Ten’s top-10 receiving yardage leaders as Penn State is about to come out of a bye week. Warren has 40 receptions for 513 yards and four touchdowns (he has also rushed for and passed for a touchdown this season. In Warren’s most recent game, against USC, the star tight end caught 17 passes for 224 yards, which is the second-most receiving yards in a single game by a single player in Penn State program history.

Last year’s recipient of the Biletnikoff Award was Marvin Harrison Jr., from Ohio State. Other notable past winners of the Biletnikoff Award include two-time winners Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech, 2007 and 2008) and Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State, 2010 and 2011), Randy Moss (Marshall, 1997), Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh, 2003), Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech, 2006), Ja’Marr Chase (LSU, 2019), and DeVonta Smith (Alabama, 2020).

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.

Ohio State receiver added to Biletnikoff Award watch list

Could a freshman win this award? #GoBucks

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is having an incredible freshman season. The 18-year-old has already broken records in just six games and is well on his way to breaking several more this season. The recognition is starting to catch up with the performance as Smith has been named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list.

The Biletnikoff Award is handed out to the best wide receiver in college football each year. Last year, Marvin Harrison Jr. took home the prize, only the second Buckeye ever and the first to do so since 1995 when Terry Glenn earned the honor. Could a freshman become the third OSU star to win the award?

Smith’s numbers certainly put him in the conversation. The Ohio State wideout is in the Top 20 in receiving yards with 553 and is tied for fifth with seven touchdown receptions. He also has a rushing touchdown to add to his resume.

Smith became the first player in program history to catch a touchdown in each of his first six games. He is well on pace to smash Cris Carter’s Ohio State freshman receiving records of 41 receptions, 648 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns all set in Carter’s freshman season of 1984.

A freshman winning the Biletnikoff Award is a long shot, but it’s nice to see Smith getting some recognition for his performance on the field.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. 

Alabama phenom Freshman Ryan Williams added to Biletnikoff Award watch list

Biletnikoff Award watch list highlighted by 17-year-old Alabama superstar Ryan Williams.

Despite being just 17 years of age, Alabama’s true freshman Ryan Williams phenom is already making his case for being the best wide receiver in college football. Through just five games in his career, Williams has brought in 19 receptions for 544 yards and six touchdowns. He also tacked on a two-yard rushing score against Vanderbilt.

The craziest part about what Williams is doing is the fact that he enrolled in college a year early, skipping his Senior year of high school. As a two-time Mr. Football in the state of Alabama, he was a top priority recruit for every blue blood in the nation.

After Saban’s retirement, Williams de-committed from the Tide before Kalen DeBoer swooped back in to save the day. A recruitment that is proving to be as impactful as any in Alabama’s recent memory with some NFL personnel even saying Williams would be a top-ten pick in the draft this year.

The Biletnikoff Award has just updated its watch list for the remainder of the season by finally adding the Crimson Tide speedster. Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, Missouri’s Luther Burden and Colorado’s Travis Hunter entered the year as favorites, but Williams and Ohio State’s true freshman Jeremiah Smith are quickly catching up.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

COLUMN: Kyren Lacy snubbed from Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list

Kyren Lacy was left off the Biletnikoff Award watch list. Here’s why that was a mistake.

It’s watch list season. With the 2024 college football campaign fast approaching, awards are starting to release the players they have an eye on entering the year.

The Biletnikoff Award, given to the best receiver in college football, released their list. Noticeably, LSU receiver [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] was absent. One Tiger did make the cut, and that’s Liberty transfer [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag].

It’s easy to see why Daniels caught the Biletnikoff’s attention. He posted a 1,000-yard season with Liberty last year and was one of the most efficient receivers in the sport.

But for the entirety of the offseason, there’s been no doubt about LSU’s WR1. It’s [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag]. With [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] gone, Lacy is the next star WR expected to emerge at LSU.

Lacy began to turn heads in the spring with a dominant spring practice and has continued that into fall camp. If he has the year LSU is expecting in this offense, Lacy will be in the Biletnikoff discussion.

Lacy is a fifth-year receiver who began his career at Louisiana. It’s rare to see a fifth-year player without an elite season generating this much hype, but the WR depth chart was clogged up by future NFL players over the last two years.

When Lacy got his chances, he made the most of them. He averaged 18.6 yards per catch, ranking third in the SEC. He caught seven touchdowns on just 30 catchers and showed an ability to play outside and in the slot. Lacy averaged 7.5 yards after the catch, one of the best marks in the SEC.

All the makings of a No. 1 receiver are here. A lot of the same could be said for Daniels, but Daniels didn’t cement a starting spot in the spring. Lacy’s led the room the whole way.

Setting fair expectations for Lacy is hard. 1,200 yards might be a lot to ask of a guy with a career-high of 557, but LSU is expecting its offense to pick up where it left off last year. That leaves a lot of production to go around.

Expect Lacy to get the bulk of it and perform like one of the best receivers in the country.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. wins Biletnikoff Award

Another one for the trophy case. #GoBucks

Marvin Harrison Jr. has been named the 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner as the most outstanding receiver in college football. He becomes only the second Buckeye to win the award joining 1995 winner Terry Glenn, though many would argue the Ohio State receiver should’ve won the award last year as well.

As good as Harrison has been this year, he faced some stiff competition in Washington’s Rome Odunze, and LSU‘s Malik Nabers. Harrison won the award by exactly one vote, making this the closest race in Biletnikoff History.

Harrison was quoted as saying “I always wanted to win it for ‘Zone 6’, ‘Wide Receiver U.'”

It’s another feather in the cap of one of the all-time greats in Ohio State history. Now the question remains, will Marv come back for one more go in Scarlet and Gray?

*** Please note, this article originally stated that LSU’s Malik Nabers finished second in the Biletnikoff voting, but that was omitted in the most recent version. There is no way to ascertain which player finished second.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. 

Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. wins Biletnikoff Award over Malik Nabers

Despite finishing more than 300 yards ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers did not receive the Biletnikoff Award.

LSU already saw one player win a postseason award on Friday night as [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] was named the Davey O’Brien winner, and it could have had another as receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

Instead, the award ultimately went to Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., who is viewed as the top receiver prospect in the 2024 NFL draft.

While Harrison is viewed as the better prospect on Sundays, his production left the award open to debate. While Nabers paced the nation with 1,546 receiving yards, Harrison finished behind him by a margin of more than 300 yards.

Nabers didn’t finish with as many touchdowns as Harrison, who had 14 compared to Nabers’ 12, but he also split some of the glory with Brian Thomas Jr., whose 15 receiving touchdowns led the nation in 2023.

It’s a disappointment for Nabers, but he is still considered a possible top 10 pick in this spring’s draft and will suit up for the Tigers one last time as he’s already announced his intention to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Wisconsin on Jan. 1.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Malik Nabers named a Biletnikoff Award finalist

Malik Nabers was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award on Tuesday.

[autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] was named a Biletnikoff Award finalist on Tuesday. The Biletnikoff is awarded annually to the best pass-catcher in college football.

Nabers leads the country with 1,546 receiving yards, over 100 more than second-place Malik Washington with 1,426 yards.

After leading the SEC in catches last year, Nabers entered the year with high expectations. He took it to another level, becoming a premier big play threat, leading the country with 34 20+ yard plays to go along with 12 touchdowns and 86 catches.

Nabers is threatening to break LSU’s all-time receiving yards record, and if he plays in the bowl game, he’ll need just 22 yards to surpass [autotag]Josh Reed[/autotag].

Nabers would be the third receiver in LSU’s history to take the Biletnikoff home along with Reed in 2001 and [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] in 2019.

Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington’s Rome Odunze joined Nabers as finalists. The winner will be announced Friday, Dec. 8 at The College Football Awards on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Oregon WR Troy Franklin gets snubbed as a finalist for Biletnikoff Award

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Troy Franklin was snubbed, not named as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

It’s been clear all season long that Oregon Ducks wide receiver Troy Franklin is playing on a different level than we’ve seen from any pass-catcher in Eugene for quite some time.

However, that level of play is not being recognized, as Franklin was snubbed as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the college football season’s outstanding FBS receiver.

Through 12 games, Franklin has 77 catches for 1,349 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s broken the Oregon Ducks single-season receiving records for yards and touchdowns, and also broken the school record for most receiving touchdowns in a career.

The finalists for the award are Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington’s Rome Odunze, and LSU’s Malik Nabers.

Here’s how Franklin’s stats stack up to the other three:

Name Catches Yards TDs
Troy Franklin 77 1,349 14
Marvin Harrison Jr. 67 1,211 14
Rome Odunze 73 1,326 13
Malik Nabers 86 1,546 14

The Biletnikoff Award will be given out on December 8, 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. named Biletnikoff Award semifinalists

Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. have been the best receiving duo in the country this season.

A pair of LSU receivers have been nominated for the most prestigious pass-catching award in the country.

Both [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] were listed among the 10 semifinalists to win the Biletnikoff Award, which is generally won by receivers but also open to tight ends, as evidenced by the presence of Georgia’s Brock Bowers among the semifinalists.

Nabers leads the nation in receiving yards with 1,424, and he ranks fourth with 12 touchdowns. His 80 receptions also leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally.

Thomas, meanwhile, has also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark and leads the nation with 14 receiving touchdowns. The star receiving duo have both gone over 100 yards receiving five times this season.

Nabers and Thomas are looking to become the third LSU player to win the Biletnikoff, joining [autotag]Josh Reed[/autotag] in 2001 and [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] in 2019.

Here are all 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff.

Brock Bowers (TE), Georgia
Luther Burden III (WR), Missouri
Keon Coleman (WR), Florida State
Troy Franklin (WR), Oregon
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR), Ohio State
Xavier Legette (WR), South Carolina
Malik Nabers (WR), LSU
Rome Odunze (WR), Washington
Brian Thomas Jr. (WR), LSU
Malik Washington (WR), Virginia

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno