Higgins, Ross named to Biletnikoff Award Watch List
Clemson’s Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross have been named to the 2019 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, which was recently announced. The Biletnikoff Award recognizes the nation’s top receiver from any position. This means the award could end up in the hands of a wide receiver, running back or tight end according to a release by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation.
A fan vote will open on Sept. 23, followed by a vote by the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee to determine 10 Semifinalists the week of Nov. 10 - 17 before the semifinalists are announced on Nov. 18. The vote to determine the 3 finalists will occur on Nov. 19 - 24 before the finalists are announced on Nov. 25.
A final vote will take place on Dec. 2-8 before the winner of the award will be announced at the College Football Awards on Dec. 12, which will air live on ESPN from 7 to 9 p.m. The winner will be honored at a banquet on Feb. 20, 2020, at the University Center Club on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla.
Higgins and Ross look to have strong seasons in 2019 after helping secure the Tigers’ second national championship in three seasons. The duo combined for 1936 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in 2018.
The correlation between Biletnikoff Award winners and stardom in the National Football League is nearly uniformly consistent. Past Biletnikoff Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Terry Glenn, and Larry Fitzgerald.
The 2019 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by TQC Foundation Chairman Steve Dobson, III, college and pro football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff, and the dynamic and inspiring keynoter and college football hall of famer Lou Holtz before 550 patrons at the Biletnikoff AwardBanquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, February 15, 2020. The banquet was hailed by 2014 keynote speaker Dick Vermeil, as well as by 2013 keynoter Larry Csonka, as "the best banquet in college sports."
The name Biletnikoff is synonymous with the term receiver. Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the pro and college football halls of fame, was a consensus All-America receiver at Florida State University, and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Fred was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI.
The 2019 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List
(Other receivers will be added as their season performances dictate)
Lynn Bowden, Jr. Kentucky
Rico Bussey, Jr. North Texas
Cedric Byrd Hawaii
Grant Calcaterra Oklahoma
Damonte Coxie Memphis
Gabriel Davis UCF
Bryan Edwards South Carolina
D'Wayne Eskridge Western Michigan
Aaron Fuller Washington
Antonio Gandy-Golden Liberty
KJ Hamler Penn State
Adrian Hardy Louisiana Tech
Damon Hazelton Virginia Tech
Tee Higgins Clemson
K.J. Hill Ohio State
Isaiah Hodgins Oregon State
Justin Jefferson LSU
Jerry Jeudy Alabama
Tyler Johnson Minnesota
Collin Johnson Texas
CeeDee Lamb Oklahoma
Ty LeeMiddle Tennessee
Kalija Lipscomb Vanderbilt
McLane Mannix Texas Tech
Kirk Merritt Arkansas State
Riley Miller Ball State
Denzel Mims Baylor
Darnell Mooney Tulane
Rondale Moore Purdue
Albert Okwuegbunam Missouri
K.J. Osborn Miami
Dezmon Patmon Washington State
Jared Pinkney Vanderbilt
Michael Pittman, Jr. USC
James Proche SMU
Jalen Reagor TCU
Jared Rice Fresno State
Sean Riley Syracuse
Reggie Roberson, Jr. SMU
Justyn Ross Clemson
Henry Ruggs III Alabama
Laviska Shenault, Jr. Colorado
JD Spielman Nebraska
Amon-Ra St. Brown USC
Marquez Stevenson Houston
Tamorrion Terry Florida State
Jaylen Waddle Alabama
Tylan Wallace Oklahoma State
JoJo Ward Hawaii
Quez Watkins Southern Miss