Founded back in 1994, the Biletnikoff Award is present annually to the top wide receiver in college football, with a total of six former SEC football greats having previously taken home honors in the years since. Here are those six names, five of which have come since the year 2014.
Which SEC football players have won the Biletnikoff Award?
2001 – Josh Reed, LSU
We begin with the SEC’s first-ever winner of the Biletnikoff Award in Reed, who took home honors after a stellar 2001 season at LSU. Leading the SEC in both receptions and yards, Reed would post 94 catches for 1,740 yards and seven touchdowns that season as a consensus All-American, with that 2001 campaign having also been his second-straight 1,000-yard season at LSU.
2014 – Amari Cooper, Alabama
Alabama has the most Biletnikoff Award winners of any SEC football team with three, the first of which came in 2014 with Cooper. Leading the SEC in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, Cooper would compile 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns as a consensus All-American that season, while also being named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
2018 – Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Alabama’s second winner of the award would come in 2018 with Jeudy, who took home honors as a consensus All-American. Leading the SEC in receiving touchdowns, Jeudy would have 68 catches for 1,315 yards and 14 scores as a sophomore, with this year also the first of back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns for the Alabama wideout.
2019 – Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
The SEC made it back-to-back winners in 2019, as Chase won the Biletnikoff coming off a stellar sophomore season for the national champion LSU Tigers. A consensus All-American that season, Chase would lead the SEC and NCAA in receiving yards and touchdowns, amassing 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 scores.
2020 – DeVonta Smith, Alabama
Not only was Smith winning the Biletnikoff in 2020 the third in Alabama program history, but it also made it three-straight years that the award went to an SEC football player. Leading the SEC and NCAA in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winning season was certainly an impressive one for Smith, with the senior amassing 117 receptions for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns for the national champion Crimson Tide.
2022 – Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
The SEC’s sixth, and final, Biletnikoff Award winner is also the most recent in Hyatt, who enjoyed a big breakout season a year ago at Tennessee. A consensus All-American, Hyatt led the SEC in both receiving yards and touchdowns, amassing 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Volunteers.