Three Players from Indiana named to 2013 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List

Oct 6, 2012; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Cody Latimer (3) signals a first down after making a catch against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List is out, and three players from the state have made the list.

The Biletnikoff Award is given to the most outstanding wide receiver in college football. Two players from Notre Dame and one from IU have been added to the list.

DeVaris Daniels and T.J. Jones from Notre Dame and Cody Latimer from Indiana were all named. 70 players made the list from across D-I football. The list can be found here.

Latimer led the Hoosiers in receiving yards with 805. He hauled in 51 receptions, for a 15.8 average, and six touchdowns. He managed the bulk of this with IU’s starting QB sidelined with injury. Latimer is big physical receiver with the ability to go deep down the field. At 6-3 and 215-pounds, he is an imposing presence and a matchup nightmare. If IU has consistency under center (read: if Tre Roberson stays healthy), he will be a threat to end up in the endzone on every snap.

Daniels hauled in just 31 passes for 490 yards and ZERO touchdowns. His addition to this list is a bit of a head scratcher. He has the physical presence to be a threat, and was solid in the BCS National Championship (six receptions for 115 yards), but there are better receivers down in Bloomington (Shane Wynn and Kofi Hughes).

Jones had 50 receptions for 649 yards and four touchdowns. Jones is an exceptional athlete and an ideal slot receiver. He was a very solid performer all season and averaged 13-yards a catch. He was the second best receiver on the team last season behind tight end Tyler Eifert, who went pro.

For the Irish, the question will be: can Tommy Rees get Daniels and Jones the ball. Everett Golson, last years starting QB, is gone and coach Brian Kelly has announced that Rees will be the starter. Rees appeared in nine games last season, but wasn’t particularly impressive. He had a 57.6 completion percentage, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Rees started in 2011 and was much better, completing 65.5-percent of his passes and throwing 20 touchdowns passes to 14 interceptions.

Its odd for the Irish to get two players on this list when IU runs a more pass-happy offense and has players that are clearly better at the position. Wynn led the Hoosiers in receptions with 68, had 660 yards, and six touchdowns. Hughes had 43 receptions for 639 yards and three touchdowns. Just based off stats alone they should be on this list. There are a number of head scratchers on this list, but not being on the preseason watch list doesn’t mean that someone can’t win the award.

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