TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — UTSA senior Zakhari Franklin has landed on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award for the second straight season, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., announced on Thursday.
Franklin is one of 44 players — including one of five from Conference USA — on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which 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 merely college football's outstanding wide receiver.
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. The Cedar Hill High School product 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 2022 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by TQC Foundation Chairman Mark Ryan and the banquet keynote speaker at the black-tie Biletnikoff Award Banquet & Celebration at the Dunlap Champions Club, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on March 4, 2023.
The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of 640 prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers.
UTSA will open its 12th season of play and third under 2021 C-USA Coach of the Year Jeff Traylor on 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.
The 2022 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List
Jordan Addison, USC
Hassan Beydoun, Eastern Michigan
Jake Bobo, UCLA
Kayshon Boutte, LSU
Brock Bowers, Georgia
Roderic Burns, North Texas
Jermaine Burton, Alabama
Dante Cephas, Kent State
Tyrese Chambers, FIU
Jacob Cowing, Arizona
Jalen Cropper, Fresno State
Daewood Davis, WKU
Nathaniel Dell, Houston
Josh Downs, North Carolina
Grant DuBose, Charlotte
Zay Flowers, Boston College
Zakhari Franklin, UTSA
Corey Gammage, Marshall
Te'Vailance Hunt, Arkansas State
Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
Jayshon Jackson, Ball State
Rakim Jarrett, Maryland
Ali Jennings III, Old Dominion
Quentin Johnston, TCU
Nick Mardner, Cincinnati
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
Puka Nacua, BYU
Isaiah Neyor, Texas
Ryan O'Keefe, UCF
A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
Jayden Reed, Michigan State
Corey Rucker, South Carolina
Trayvon Rudolph, NIU
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Keytaon Thompson, Virginia
Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Mitchell Tinsley, Penn State
Parker Washington, Penn State
Xavier Weaver, South Florida
Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia
Quian Williams, Buffalo
Xavier Worthy, Texas
-UTSA-
