Another day with another award watch-list for the pre-season. Eight ACC receivers have made the Biletnikoff pre-season watch list, as announced Wednesday.
Award Eligibility
The award goes to the best receiver in the country. Having said that, anyone who catches passes can be eligible for the pre-season watch list. That includes tight ends and even running backs. For anyone keeping track, two tight ends (Colston Loveland of Michigan and Mitchell Evans of Notre Dame made the list). One running back, (Ashton Jeanty of Boise State), also made the list. For the record, Jeanty had 43 receptions, 569 receiving yards, and five touchdown receptions in 2023. Everyone else on the list is a wide receiver.
The award is voted on by 600 college football journalists across the country, (full disclosure, that includes the author of this piece). The award is managed by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation. No trustee from the foundation is a voter for the award. Past Biletnikoff Award winners also have a vote for the eventual winner.
The ACC Represented
As for the ACC, the eight players who made the watch list represent six different conference schools. For those counting on their fingers, it means one school had three nominees.
Here are the ACC players on the list:
Jordan Moore, Duke, Graduate Student, WR
Caullin Lacy, Louisville, Senior, WR
Samuel Brown, Miami, Fifth-Year Redshirt Junior, WR
Jacolby George, Miami, Senior, WR
Xavier Restrepo, Miami, Fifth-Year Senior, WR
Kevin “KC” Concepcion, NC State, Sophomore, WR
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford, Redshirt Sophomore, WR
Malachi Fields, Virginia, Senior, WR
Miami quarterback Cam Ward is also on several pre-season watch lists including the Maxwell Award for player of the year. The expectations from those on the outside are big for the Hurricanes this season.
The Particulars
Players not currently on the watch list can be added throughout the season based on on-field performance.
The semifinalists, finalists and award recipient are selected by the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee referenced above. The first paring down of the list happens in mid-November. The three finalists and the eventual award winner are chosen by the panel of voters later in November. The winner is announced in December. Last year’s winner was Marvin Harrison, Jr. of Ohio State.
The full 2024 watch list can be seen here.
There are two more days of award pre-season watch lists this week. The full list can be seen here.
