The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced its watch list for the Fred Biletnikoff Award on Wednesday. This list includes many of last year's top wide receivers, as well as several standout performers expected to have career seasons in 2016.
Semifinalists for the award will be announced November 14, while the three finalists will be announced eight days later. The winner will be announced during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show December 8, 2016 with the formal presentation made at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee next February.
Here are the preseason favorites to win the Biletnikoff Award for each of the Power 5 conferences:
ACC
Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech Cavaliers
Isaiah Ford enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign with 75 catches for 1,164 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2015. He also earned first-team All-ACC honors. Ford has totaled 131 catches, 1,873 yards and 17 touchdowns during his first two seasons and his production could see an increase in production in 2016 if the quarterback situation is settled. Junior college transfer Jerod Evans and senior Brendan Motley figure to lead the battle for the right to throw darts to Ford, per HEROSports.com's Sean Labar.
Ford, however, may make the quarterback transition a little easier, with his ability to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.
Big Ten
Chris Godwin, Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State's Chris Godwin had more receiving yards than any returning Big Ten player, having totaled 1,101 yards and five touchdowns on 69 receptions. He also earned second team All-Big Ten honors and was featured on the Maxwell Award watch list earlier this month.
The former four-star prospect is 17th on Penn State's career receiving yards list and was just the third receiver in school history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. Godwin should remain a key target in Penn State's offense, regardless of which signal caller gets the nod. As of mid-July, Junior Trace McSorley is the favorite to succeed Christian Hackenberg at quarterback.
Big 12
James Washington, Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State's James Washington is the Big 12's only returning 1,000-yard receiver. Washington led the Cowboys with 1,087 yards and 10 touchdowns on 53 receptions and was named to the Big 12 All-Second team in 2015. He's present on this year's preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list, along with teammate Marcell Ateman. Both receivers should flourish in Oklahoma State's pass-heavy offense with quarterback Mason Rudolph back after passing for 3,770 yards a year ago.
Washington has an edge on Ateman based on past production but the pair are different. Ateman is a bigger target, equipped to make catches in traffic and break arm tackles. Washington is quicker, faster and more likely to be on the receiving end of the deep ball.
Pac-12
Juju Smith-Schuster, USC Trojans
Sophomore Juju Smith-Schuster enjoyed a breakout season at USC a year ago, recording a team-best 89 receptions, 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns. The junior has been named to several preseason All-American lists and is a dark horse preseason Heisman contender. Smith-Schuster should remain in the Biletnikoff discussion in his third season, but he will have a new quarterback in either redshirt junior Max Browne or redshirt freshman Sam Darnold.
Without Cody Kessler there's a chance Smith-Schuster's numbers have peaked, and Clay Helton may want to take advantage of a deep stable of running backs a little more than the Trojans did a year ago. If Browne or Darnold get into trouble, however, Smith-Schuster's likely to be on the other end of some 'here, catch this and bail me out,' balls.
SEC
Calvin Ridley, Alabama Crimson Tide
Calvin Ridley, who recorded 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns on a conference-best 89 receptions, is the best returning wide receiver in the SEC statistically. Even without Heisman winner, Derrick Henry Alabama's offensive attack is likely to remain very ground-oriented, but offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin may set out to take advantage of Ridley's skills a little more. One potential hurdle again is the quarterback position. Jake Coker graduated and it's unclear on which option Kiffin and head coach Nick Saban will settle.
Ridley is almost certain to remain the top target regardless of who's pulling the trigger, but dynamic tight end O.J. Howard returns and figures to be a significant outlet for the new QB.
