LSU football receiver lands on marquee preseason watch list

LSU football continued piling up the preseason honors on Monday. Moreover, the Tigers’ top wide receiver landed on another marquee award’s watch list.

LSU football receiver Malik Nabers is one of the 49 players named to the 2023 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List.

The Biletnikoff Award recognizes the most outstanding receiver in (FBS) college football, regardless of position. As such, Nabers seeks Death Valley’s first Biletnikoff Trophy since Ja’Marr Chase won the award following the 2019 season.

Malik Nabers is the obvious choice for a preseason watch list that recognizes top receivers. He led LSU football in receptions (72) and receiving yards (1,017) in 2022. Indeed, Nabers emerged as the Tigers’ best passing target in a season that favored Kashon Boutte as the star.

We expect Nabers to remain Jayden Daniels’ favorite target in 2023, thus, strengthening the receivers’ Biletnikoff campaign.

The Biletnikoff Award was created and is governed by The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc. The award was named after Fred Biletnikoff, a Pro Football Hall of Fame and Super Bowl MVP wide receiver. Biletnikoff played college football at Florida State before the 1965 American Football League draft.

Any player who catches a forward pass is eligible for the Biletnikoff Trophy. However, every windier of the award has been a wide receiver.

The TQC will update the Biletnikoff watch list throughout the season and announce three finalists on November 28th. However, the TQC does not vote on the award.

"The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of 650 prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted."

The winner will receive the trophy at the 30th Biletnikoff Award Banquet in March 2023. Tennessee’s Jalen Hyatt won the 2022 Biletnikoff Trophy.

Aside from Chase, receiver Josh Reed is the only other LSU football player to win the Biletnikoff Award.