Wide receivers are some of the most exciting players in football. In college football, there are a handful of receivers who stand above the crowd and the Biletnikoff Award rewards those players. Ever since 1994, the Biletnikoff Award has been given out to the top pass-catchers in college football.
In terms of the current makeup of the conference, six Big Ten players have won the Biletnikoff Award. In the preseason, six Big Ten pass-catchers were on the Biletnikoff watchlist. Oddly enough, none of them made the cut to the semifinalist list.
This year’s semifinalist list is 10 pass-catchers with two from the Big Ten. Two each come from the Big 12, ACC, and SEC with the Mid-American Conference and Mountain West having one honoree each.
Big Ten Boasts Two Biletnikoff Award Semifinalists
Tai Felton, Maryland
The 2024 season has not gone the way Maryland had hoped but the emergence of Tai Felton has been a welcome development. Felton was coming off a career year in 2023 with 48 catches, 723 yards, and six touchdowns. Through 10 games in 2024, he’s already blown by his 2023 marks.
Felton leads the Big Ten with 86 receptions and 1,040 yards to go with his seven touchdowns. He lit the world on fire with a ridiculous four-game start for the Terrapins. In the wins over UConn, Virginia and Villanova (plus the loss to Michigan State), Felton amassed 604 yards and five touchdowns off 41 receptions.
He did cool off quite a bit down the stretch. To be fair, so did Maryland. In the 1-5 stretch, Felton had one 100-yard game and two touchdowns.
Maryland has never had a Biletnikoff Award winner in its history. In terms of the rest of the semifinalists, Felton is second in receptions, fourth in yards, and ninth in touchdowns.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
The Jeremiah Smith hype machine cannot be stopped. Ohio State won the recruiting battle for the nation’s top 2024 recruit and he made an impact from the jump. It’s rare to see a true freshman of Smith’s caliber. It’s never happened in the history of Ohio State football.
Smith owns every freshman receiving record and is shattering all lofty expectations. Through 10 games, Smith has amassed 865 yards and a Big Ten-leading nine touchdowns off just 49 receptions. He’s fourth in the Big Ten in yards per catch. However, all three ahead of him have fewer catches. In terms of receivers with at least 49 receptions, he leads the way and is comfortably ahead of the next.
Smith kicked off his collegiate career with eight touchdowns in seven games with at least one in each (also an Ohio State record). In the win over Purdue, Smith secured his third 100-yard game.
The freshman phenom is looking to become the second freshman to win the award (Michael Crabtree, 2007) and the first true freshman to win. He’s working to be the third Ohio State receiver (Terry Glenn, 1995; Marvin Harrison, Jr., 2023). In comparison to the rest of the field, Smith is ninth in receptions, ninth in yards (second in yards per game with 17.7), and tied for third in touchdowns.
Smith did not open the year on the preseason watchlist. However, he was added to the watchlist mid-season. He’s also a Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year semifinalist.
The Rest of the Field
- Jack Bech, TCU
- Ja’Corey Brooks, Louisville
- Harold Fannin, Jr., Bowling Green (TE)
- Tre Harris, Ole Miss
- Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
- Nick Nash, San Jose State
- Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL)
- Ryan Williams, Alabama
