Marvin Harrison Jr. will get another chance to win the Biletnikoff Award.
Despite being viewed by most analysts as the best wide receiver in college football last season and becoming the first Ohio State wideout ever to earn unanimous All-American honors, Harrison didn’t win the 2022 Biletnikoff Award, which went to Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. But with Hyatt now playing for the NFL’s New York Giants, Harrison will have another chance to win the award this year.
Harrison is one of two Ohio State wide receivers on the preseason watch list for this year’s Biletnikoff Award along with fellow junior Emeka Egbuka, who is a real candidate to win the award in his own right.
Preseason Watch List | Presented to the Most Outstanding Receiver
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 7, 2023
@MarvHarrisonJr x @emeka_egbuka pic.twitter.com/KLXUV8Rec5
Harrison (1,263 yards in 2022) and Egbuka (1,151 yards) had the most receiving yards last season among all Power 5 receivers who are still playing college football this year. Harrison also scored 14 touchdowns on 77 total catches while Egbuka had 10 touchdown receptions on 74 total catches.
They are among 49 total pass-catchers on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which honors college football’s best receiver regardless of position (though 47 of the 49 players on the watch list are wide receivers with the exceptions of Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and Syracuse tight end Oronde Gadsden II).
Ohio State is one of nine schools with multiple pass-catchers on the watch list. Georgia leads all schools with three nominees while Florida State, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Oregon, USC, Washington and Virginia Tech each have two. Former Ohio State wide receiver Sam Wiglusz, who now plays for Ohio University, is also among the receivers on the watch list.
Harrison and Egbuka were both also named last Monday to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which honors college football’s best player at any position. Egbuka is additionally on the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, which recognizes college football’s most versatile player.
Ohio State Players on Preseason Watch Lists
- WR Marvin Harrison Jr.: Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award
- WR Emeka Egbuka: Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung Award
- G Donovan Jackson: Outland Trophy
- G Matt Jones: Outland Trophy
- DT Mike Hall Jr.: Outland Trophy
- DE JT Tuimoloau: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lott IMPACT Trophy
- LB Tommy Eichenberg: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lott IMPACT Trophy
- S Lathan Ransom: Bronko Nagurski Trophy
- P Jesse Mirco: Ray Guy Award
- TE Cade Stover: Mackey Award
