From The Tribune staff reports
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It’s an honor annually given to college football’s most outstanding pass catcher.
The Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee recently released its 2020 watch list, which includes former Clay-Chalkville standout Nico Collins. The former state champion with the Cougars is entering his senior season at Michigan after deciding to return to school over declaring for the 2019 NFL Draft.
Collins led the Wolverines with seven touchdown grabs as a junior, to go with 37 catches and 729 yards. He caught 38 passes in 2018 for 632 yards and six scores.
The 6-foot-4 target recently announced his decision to follow in the footsteps of many Michigan receiving greats by switching to jersey No. 1. He previously wore No. 4 for head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Braylon Edwards, who won the program’s only Biletnikoff in 2004, also wore jersey No. 1.
Collins recorded 2,000 yards over his final two seasons at Clay-Chalkville. He became Alabama’s top-ranked recruit at receiver during that span. He signed with the Wolverines’ Class of 2017.
Collins joins 54 other players on this year’s Bfiletnikoff Award watch list.
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | POS |
| Jonathan Adams Jr. | Arkansas State | WR |
| Tutu Atwell | Louisville | WR |
| Jhamon Ausbon | Texas A&M | WR |
| Rashod Bateman | Minnesota | WR |
| David Bell | Purdue | WR |
| Jadan Blue | Temple | WR |
| Max Borghi | Washington State | RB |
| Dyami Brown | North Carolina | WR |
| Ja’Marr Chase | LSU | WR |
| Nico Collins | Michigan | WR |
| Elijah Cooks | Nevada | WR |
| Damonte Coxie | Memphis | WR |
| Frank Darby | Arizona State | WR |
| Jaelon Darden | North Texas | WR |
| Pat Freiermuth | Penn State | TE |
| Kaylon Geiger | Troy | WR |
| Kylen Granson | SMU | TE |
| Warren Jackson | Colorado State | WR |
| C.J. Johnson | East Carolina | WR |
| Johnny Johnson III | Oregon | WR |
| Tim Jones | Southern Miss | WR |
| Charlie Kolar | Iowa State | TE |
| Terrace Marshall Jr. | LSU | WR |
| Elijah Moore | Ole Miss | WR |
| Rondale Moore | Purdue | WR |
| Skyy Moore | Western Michigan | WR |
| Dazz Newsome | North Carolina | WR |
| Tre Nixon | UCF | WR |
| Chris Olave | Ohio State | WR |
| Andrew Parchment | Kansas | WR |
| Whop Philyor | Indiana | WR |
| George Pickens | Georgia | WR |
| Kalil Pimpleton | Central Michigan | WR |
| Kyle Pitts | Florida | TE |
| Charleston Rambo | Oklahoma | WR |
| Reggie Roberson Jr. | SMU | WR |
| Brad Rozner | Rice | WR |
| Khalil Shakir | Boise State | WR |
| Jared Smart | Hawaii | WR |
| DeVonta Smith | Alabama | WR |
| Ihmir Smith-Marsette | Iowa | WR |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | USC | WR |
| Marquez Stevenson | Houston | WR |
| Keylon Stokes | Tulsa | WR |
| Sage Surratt | Wake Forest | WR |
| Tamorrion Terry | Florida State | WR |
| Tyquan Thornton | Baylor | WR |
| Victor Tucker | Charlotte | WR |
| Tyler Vaughns | USC | WR |
| Jaylen Waddle | Alabama | WR |
| Tre Walker | San José State | WR |
| Tylan Wallace | Oklahoma State | WR |
| Austin Watkins | UAB | WR |
| Seth Williams | Auburn | WR |
| Michael Wilson | Stanford | WR |
