(Memo to those growing weary of these things: there are a minimum of 11 watch lists that will be released for various awards between now and July 18, so you’d better get used to them.)
The Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the nation’s outstanding college football receiver by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, became the latest in a growing number of awards to release their initial watch lists ahead of the start of the 2011 season.
A total of 75 receivers made the initial cut this year. Included in that group is Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon, the 2010 recipient of the award. Other 2010 semifinalists who made this year’s list include Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles, Texas A&M’s Jeff Fuller, South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery and Western Michigan’s Jordan White.
All 11 Div. 1-A conferences were represented -- as well as one lone independent (Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd) -- with the SEC leading the way with 12 players, followed closely by the Big 12’s 11. Those conferences were followed by the Big Ten and ACC with nine; Conference USA and the Pac-12 with 7; and the Big East with six.
Interestingly, the MAC (five) had more than double the Mountain West’s total (two).
Arkansas topped all individual schools with four players represented, followed by Alabama with three and a handful of schools with two apiece -- Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Duke and SMU.
Below is the complete list for the Biletnikoff’s preseason watch:
