BATON ROUGE – LSU wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson have been selected as two of the 12 semifinalists for the 2019 Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced on Monday.
The Biletnikoff Award is presented annually to the outstanding receiver at any position in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Any player that catches a pass is eligible for the award.
Former Tiger standout Josh Reed won the Biletnikoff Award in 2001 after setting LSU single-season records for receptions (94) and receiving yards (1,740) in leading the Tigers to the 2001 SEC Championship.
Chase, who set the LSU single-season record for touchdown receptions with his 13th on Saturday against Ole Miss, leads the SEC in yards per game (124.4) and TDs (13). In nine games, Chase has caught 57 passes for 1,116 yards.
Chase is also the first player in LSU history to have two 200-yard receiving games during the regular season. Chase had 229 receiving yards and four TDs in the win over Vanderbilt and then followed that with 228 yards and three touchdowns against Ole Miss.
Jefferson currently leads the SEC in receptions per game (7.1) and he’s second in the league in TD receptions (11) and third in the conference in receiving yards per game (101.1). In 10 games, Jefferson has caught 71 passes for 1,010 yards and 11 scores.
Chase and Jefferson are only the second wide receiver combination in LSU history and the fourth in the history of the SEC to have 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. They join and elite list that includes Jarvis Landry (1,193) and Odell Beckham Jr. (1,152) in 2013 along with Florida’s Chris Doering (1,045) and Ike Hilliard (1,008) in 1995 and Jabar Gaffney (1,079) and Reche Caldwell (1,059) in 2001.
The 2019 Biletnikoff Award winner will be named live on December 12, 2019, at the College Football Hall of Fame on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta.
2019 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalists
Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
Justin Jefferson, LSU
Rashod Bateman, Minnesota
Omar Bayless, Arkansas State
Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty
Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Michael Pittman Jr., USC
James Proche, SMU
Devonta Smith, Alabama
Sage Suratt, Wake Forest
