Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka received his fourth preseason award recognition on Wednesday when he was named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding receiver regardless of position.
Egbuka, who was also named to the watch list last preseason, is recognized for an award that was won last year by his former teammate and All-American wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who became just the second Biletnikoff Award winner in Ohio State history last December, joining Terry Glenn in 1995.
Egbuka could very well become the second-consecutive Buckeye to take home the honor — something that has never been done in the award’s 30-year existence — as he is in line to be Ohio State’s No. 1 wide receiver option and one of the top pass-catchers in the Big Ten after recovering from an injury-plagued 2023 season.
Egbuka missed three games last season while battling a foot injury, an ailment that limited him to just 41 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns on his way to a third-team All-Big Ten honor. But with the Steilacoom, Wash., native now fully healthy, he could become an even better version of his 2022 self, a year in which he finished ninth in the nation in receiving yards with 1,151 while also hauling in 74 receptions and adding 10 receiving touchdowns and two rushing scores.
Egbuka’s decision to return for a fourth and final season at Ohio State also puts him in contention to become one of the program’s all-time greats at his position, as his 124 receptions are 78 shy of K.J. Kill’s school record of 201 set from 2016-19, while his 1,857 receiving yards are 1,041 short of the team’s yardage career record of 2,898 set by Michael Jenkins from 2000-03.
Egbuka’s potentially record-setting talents have been recognized all summer, as the senior is also on preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award (top all-around player) Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) and the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The veteran wide receiver will have to work to win the Biletnikoff Award, as it also features notable pass-catchers such as Missouri’s Luther Burden II, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Oregon’s Tez Johnson and Michigan tight end Colson Loveland.
