MOBILE, Ala. — UTSA senior Zakhari Franklin has been chosen for the 10th annual Reese's Senior Bowl watch list, which was announced on Wednesday.
This marks the third preseason honor for the wide receiver out of Cedar Hill High School, as he landed on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award in July and was selected as a preseason third-team All-American by Pro Football Network in August.
Franklin is coming off a record-setting season in 2021 in which he helped lead the Roadrunners to a 12-2 record, the C-USA title, the program's first top-25 ranking and to their second straight and third overall bowl game. He smashed UTSA single-season standards for receptions (81), receiving yards (1,027), receiving yards per game (79.0) and receiving touchdowns (12) en route to first-team all-conference and second-team Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas College honors.
Franklin also matched his own school mark from 2020 with four 100-yard receiving games last fall, including a season-high 155 yards on 10 grabs in the 37-30 road win over Illinois, to give him a program-best nine for his career. His 2021 campaign vaulted him atop the UTSA all-time charts for receptions (168), receiving yards (2,212) and TD catches (22). He also owns the program's single-game record for receptions with 12, which he turned into 138 yards and a pair of scores versus Army in 2020.
The Reese's Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama, the past 73 years. Former Roadrunners Spencer Burford and Tariq Woolen played in last year's game while Marcus Davenport appeared in the 2018 contest. Kickoff for the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl game is set for 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 and it will be televised by NFL Network.
UTSA will open its 12th season of play and third under 2021 C-USA Coach of the Year Jeff Traylor on Saturday, Sept. 3, against Houston. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome in a game that will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Tickets are on sale now by calling or texting 210-458-UTSA (8872) or visiting goUTSA.com.
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