KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee has its first Biletnikoff Award winner. The nation’s most explosive playmaker Jalin Hyatt captured the award, which goes to college football’s most outstanding receiver regardless of position, on Thursday night as part of the virtual ESPN College Football Awards.
Hyatt beat out two other finalists in Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. He was chosen in a vote by the Biletnikoff Award national selection committee made up of writers, broadcasters, eminent receivers and past award winners. The Biletnikoff Award, named in honor of Hall of Fame receiver Fred Biletnikoff, has been presented annually by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc., (TQCF) since 1994.
ADVERTISINGHyatt is the sixth winner of the award from the SEC, and four out of the last five years have seen an SEC player take home the trophy. Tennessee joins Alabama and LSU as the only three SEC programs to produce a Biletnikoff Award winner.
Hyatt, a junior from Irmo, South Carolina, produced arguably the greatest regular season by a wide receiver in Tennessee history. He shattered the school record for receiving touchdowns with 15, a mark that also tied for the FBS lead and was tops among all Power Five players. The first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press and league coaches ranked fourth nationally in receiving yards with 1,267, which is 31 yards shy of tying the program record set by Robert Meachem in 2006.
Hyatt took home the SEC receiving triple crown—leading the league in receptions (67), receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. His explosive prowess was on display all season as he led the nation in 30+ yard catches (15), 40+ yard catches (11), 50+ yard catches (7) and 60+ yard catches (5).
Hyatt delivered one of the greatest wide receiver performances in SEC history in a 52-49 win over Alabama as he caught six passes for 207 yards and a school-record and SEC-record-tying five touchdown receptions. He became the first FBS player with five or more receiving touchdowns vs. an AP top five team since NC State’s Terry Holt did so vs. No. 3 Florida State on Nov. 8, 1997.
Hyatt will be formally presented with the trophy at the 29th annual Biletnikoff Award celebration in Tallahassee in the spring.
All-Time Biletnikoff Award Winners
1994 – Bobby Engram, Penn State
1995 – Terry Glenn, Ohio State
1996 – Marcus Harrison, Wyoming
1997 – Randy Moss, Marshall
1998 – Troy Edwards, Louisiana Tech
1999 – Troy Walters, Stanford
2000 – Antonio Bryant, Pittsburgh
2001 – Josh Reed, LSU
2002 – Charles Rogers, Michigan State
2003 – Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh
2004 – Braylon Edwards, Michigan
2005 – Mike Hass, Oregon State
2006 – Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
2007 – Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
2008 – Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
2009 – Golden Tate, Notre Dame
2010 – Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2011 – Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2012 – Maquise Lee, USC
2013 – Brandin Cooks, Oregon State
2014 – Amari Cooper, Alabama
2015 – Corey Coleman, Baylor
2016 – Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma
2017 – James Washington, Oklahoma State
2018 – Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
2019 – Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
2020 – DeVonta Smith, Alabama
2021 – Jordan Addison, Pittsburgh
2022 – Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
-UT Athletics
