LSU’s record-breaking wide receiver Malik Nabers has been named one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced on Tuesday.
The other two finalists are Washington’s Rome Odunze and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. Nabers could become the third Tiger to win the award and join the likes of Josh Reed and Ja’Marr Chase who won in 2001 and 2019.
Nabers has had a phenomenal 2023 season as he is LSU’s all-time receptions leader with 186. The Junior pass catcher leads the nation in receiving yards with 1,546 and is second in receiving touchdowns with 14. He has nine 100-yard games with a 13-catch, 239-yard, two-touchdown game against Mississippi State.
Five of the nine 100-yard games came in the final five weeks including against Texas A&M where he recorded 122 receiving yards on six catches and passed Wendell Davis’ 183 career catches in a Tiger’s uniform.
When it comes to explosive plays, Nabers is at the top of the list with 34 plays of 20+ yard touches. Seven of those plays went for 40 or more yards.
Nabers has 186 receptions for 2,980 yards and 21 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Tigers. The former Comeaux High Spartan joined Reed as the only other receiver to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons, both coming in back-to-back years. Reed’s was in 2000 and 2001 while Nabers did it last year as a sophomore.
Nabers is 20 yards shy of also being grouped with Reed of having 3,000 career yards and is 22 yards away from being the all-time receiving yards leader.
The winner of the 2023 Biletnikoff Award will be named on Friday, Dec. 8 on the Home Depot College Football Awards Show televised on ESPN.
The Biletnikoff Award 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. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football’s outstanding receiver, not just college football’s outstanding wide receiver.
LSU is bowl-eligible and will look to get their 10th win of the season. We will find out who and when the Tigers will play their final opponent of the season on Sunday.