TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — UTSA wide receiver Zakhari Franklin has been named to the Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced on Thursday.
Franklin is one of 51 FBS players — including one of three from Conference USA — on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which annually recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award.
Franklin enjoyed a record-setting sophomore season that resulted in honorable mention all-conference accolades in 2020. Despite missing two contests, the Cedar Hill High School product broke UTSA's single-season receiving records with 694 yards and 69.4 yards per game on 49 receptions, and he caught seven touchdown passes, the second-most in a season in program history.
Franklin logged four 100-yard receiving games — also a UTSA record — and he set a single-game mark with 12 receptions against Army, totaling 138 yards and two touchdowns. He also topped the century mark with 119 yards and a touchdown on six catches in the 37-35 win over Middle Tennessee and with 118 yards and a score on six receptions in the 52-21 triumph of UTEP. In his final outing of the year, Franklin piled up 115 yards and a TD on five catches against No. 16 Louisiana in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
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 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 and was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI.
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. The 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by TQC Foundation Chairman Roger Champion, keynoter and college hall of famer and two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, and college and pro football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet & Celebration at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on March 5, 2022.
The Biletnikoff Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.
The 2021 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List
Jordan Addison, Pitt
Calvin Austin III, Memphis
David Bell, Purdue
Ronnie Bell, Michigan
Max Borghi, Washington State
Kayshon Boutte, LSU
Treylon Burks, Arkansas
Elijah Cooks, Nevada
Jacob Cowing, UTEP
Dontay Demus Jr., Maryland
Jahan Dotson, Penn State
Romeo Doubs, Nevada
Emeka Emezie, NC State
Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech
Zay Flowers, Boston College
Zakhari Franklin, UTSA
Ty Fryfogle, Indiana
Kaylon Geiger, Texas Tech
Justin Hall, Ball State
Mike Harley, Miami
Taj Harris, Syracuse
Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina
Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
Johnny Johnson III, Oregon
Billy Kemp IV, Virginia
Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
Drake London, USC
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
Bo Melton, Rutgers
John Metchie III, Alabama
Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
Chris Olave, Ohio State
Sam Pinckney, Georgia State
Rashee Rice, SMU
Jaquarii Roberson, Wake Forest
Reggie Roberson Jr., SMU
Jaylon Robinson, UCF
Gunner Romney, BYU
Justyn Ross, Clemson
Bradley Rozner, Rice
Khalil Shakir, Boise State
Keylon Stokes, Tulsa
Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama
Cole Turner, Nevada
Jaden Walley, Mississippi State
Tahj Washington, USC
Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
Michael Wilson, Stanford
Mike Woods, Oklahoma
Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
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