The race to take home the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best wide receiver is down to 10 candidates.
With offenses around the country putting up huge numbers through the air, it’s difficult to determine who the best wide receiver in the country is. The Biletnikoff Award, annually given to the nation’s top player at the position, will attempt to do that through a combination of fan votes and a national selection committee.
While there are a number of deserving receivers, the selection committee has narrowed the list down to 10 candidates. The 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award are as follows, per the award’s website:
- Corey Coleman, Baylor
- Josh Doctson, TCU
- William Fuller, Notre Dame
- Roger Lewis, Bowling Green
- Gabe Marks, Washington State
- Tajae Sharp, UMass
- Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
- Taywan Taylor, Western Kentucky
- Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss
The three finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 24, with fan voting closing two days earlier. Fan voting will also count partially towards determining the winner, as the top aggregate vote-getter will receive the equivalent of one committee selection. As the website states, Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks’ one vote margin of victory for the award in 2013 was due to winning the fan vote.
There’s plenty of football left to be played, but Coleman has to be considered the favorite for now. So far this season, he has caught 61 passes for 1,229 yards and 20 touchdowns, six more than any other receiver. Those numbers have Coleman in contention for more than just the Biletnikoff Award, as many view him as a finalist for the Heisman.
Doctson certainly could give Coleman a run for his money as the nation’s leading receiver with 1,327 yards. However, Doctson was severely limited by a wrist injury last week, and his status for the rest of the season is questionable
The dark horse in the race is Lewis, who has totaled 1,310 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season. Lewis won’t get as much attention as some others while playing for a MAC school, but the Falcons’ excellent offense is explosive enough for him to put up huge numbers.
All of the semifinalists are in the top 19 nationally in receiving yards, so each has an argument to be in the final 10. The biggest omission is arguably Western Michigan’s Daniel Braverman, who has totaled 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns. Boise State’s Thomas Sperbeck also has an argument, being the nation’s fourth-leading receiver with 1,210 yards.
Doctson may make the next cut either way, but he’s going to need a healthy and productive end of the season to win the award. If he remains limited, it appears to be Coleman’s award to lose.