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Three Mountain West Receivers Named to Biletnikoff Award Watchlist
Keesean Johnson, John Ursua and McLane Mannix are among the nation’s best pass catchers to watch this preseason.
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Is this the year a MWC receiver breaks through for this honor?
Watchlist season continues this morning with the unveiling of the Biletnikoff Award watchlist. Given annually to the nation’s best pass catchers, there are three names to watch from the Mountain West on this year’s preseason list.
Fresno State’s Keesean Johnson finished 2017 with 77 catches for 1,013 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which are the best figures among returning Mountain West receivers.
Hawaii’s John Ursua had his 2017 cut short by injury, but he burst out the gate and still managed to finish tenth in the conference with 47 receptions, though he played in just six games. He had 667 yards and five touchdowns, so in spite of an ongoing quarterback competition, he could easily be in for another big year with the revamped run-and-shoot offense.
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Nevada’s McLane Mannix burst onto the scene as a true freshman, catching 57 passes for 778 yards and six touchdowns. He also finished in a tie for fourth in the Mountain West with eight catches of 30 yards or more, establishing himself as one of the conference’s premier big-play receivers.
Former Colorado State receiver Michael Gallup was a Biletnikoff Award finalist last year, though the honor eventually went to Oklahoma State’s James Washington.