Utah State wide receiver scores a touchdown against Fresno State on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. Photo by Clint Allen.
LOGAN, Utah –Utah State wide receiver Jalen Royals was one of five additions added to the 2023 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Wednesday morning.
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season’s outstanding Football Bowl Subdivision (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.
This is the second addition to the 2023 Biletnikoff Award Watch List as five players were also added on Oct. 5: Missouri’s Luther Burden III, South Carolina’s Xavier Legette, Georgia State’s Robert Lewis, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. and Virginia’s Malik Washington.
Royals has exploded in his last three games as he has caught 20 passes for 450 yards (22.5 ypr) and seven touchdowns. In Utah State’s 37-32 loss to Fresno State last weekend, the 6-foot, 195-pounder caught a career-high-tying seven receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns (29, 52).
In the Aggies’ 44-24 Homecoming victory over Colorado State on Oct. 7, Royals had six catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns (24, 51). Prior to that, he had racked up a career-high 185 yards receiving and a career-best three touchdowns (15, 71, 52) on a career-high-tying seven receptions in Utah State’s 34-33 win at UConn on Sept. 30.
Royals, who now has three-career 100-yard receiving games, entered the UConn game with just 19 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns in 16 career outings.
The native of Powder Springs, Georgia, is currently tied for first in the nation in receiving touchdowns with nine. He also ranks second in the Mountain West and 15th in the nation in receiving (92.4 ypg).
Royals and the Aggies (3-4, 1-2 MW) return to action on Saturday, Oct. 21, when they hit the road to take on San José State (2-5, 1-2 MW) at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, California. The game, slated to kick off at 5 p.m. (MT), will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
For more information on the Utah State football program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUFootball, on Facebook at USUFootball and on Instagram at USUFootball.
Oct. 18 Additions to Biletnikoff Award Watch List
Jalen Royals, Utah State
Steven McBride, Hawai’i
Kris Mitchell, FIU
Ricky Pearsall, Florida
Xavier Weaver, Colorado
