2018 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalists
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the Biletnikoff Award, announced 11 semifinalists for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award. The secure and confidential electronic voting by the distinguished members of the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee was conducted from November 5th through November 11th, and certified by a prominent CPA firm.
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the outstanding FBS receiver in college football. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football’s outstanding receiver, not merely college football’s outstanding wide receiver.
The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted. For a list of voters, please see BiletnikoffAward.com/voters
Announcement Dates
November 18 – Three Finalists
December 6 – Biletnikoff Award Winner announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards presented by Gildan
The Home Depot College Football Awards airs live on ESPN December 6, 2018, 7 – 9pm (EST)
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 11 2018 Biletnikoff Award semifinalists are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Player / School
JJ Arcega-Whiteside – Stanford
A.J. Brown – Ole Miss
Marquise Brown – Oklahoma
N’Keal Harry – Arizona State
Andy Isabella – Massachusetts
Jerry Jeudy – Alabama
Rondale Moore – Purdue
David Sills V – West Virginia
John Ursua – Hawaii
Tylan Wallace – Oklahoma State
Antoine Wesley – Texas Tech
The 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented live on December 6, 2018, on The Home Depot College Football Awards presented by Gildan to be broadcast 7:00 – 9:00pm (EST) on ESPN. College and pro football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff will announce the 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner on the show.
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, and Larry Fitzgerald.
The 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by college and pro football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff and keynoter & 1993 Lombardi Award and Jim Parker Award winner Aaron Taylor before 550 patrons at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, February 16, 2019. 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.”
Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for over 25 years.