Malik Nabers’ bid for the Biletnikoff Award falls short. See where he finished in voting.

Malik Nabers had a shot to become the third LSU player honored with the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the best receiver in college football. 

But the LSU star finished second in voting for the award, it was announced Friday night at ESPN’s College Football Awards show, behind Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and ahead of Washington’s Rome Odunze. Harrison bested Nabers by one vote to win the award.

Nabers finished the 2023 season with the most total receiving yards (1,546) and the highest yards per game average (128.8) in the country. Plus, he caught the seventh-most passes (86) and the second-most touchdowns (14) this season. 

With Jayden Daniels, Nabers formed the most potent quarterback-receiver duo in the country. Their connections were the bread and butter of the best, most explosive offense in the nation and the second-most prolific attack in LSU history. 

The pair linked up on seven plays that went longer than 40 yards. No receiver had more catches of 20-plus yards (34) than Nabers, who either topped or tied both Harrison and Odunze in every major statistical category. 

Harrison ended his year ranked 35th in receptions (67), ninth in both total yards (1,211) and yards per game (100.9), and tied for second in touchdowns (14). In Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to Michigan, he caught five passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. 

In 13 games, Odunze caught the 16th-most passes (81), amassed the second-most yards (1,428) and scored the sixth-most touchdowns (13) in the nation. He caught eight passes for 102 yards In Washington’s 34-31 win over Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game. 

LSU’s two Biletnikoff winners are Josh Reed, who won the award in 2001, and Ja’Marr Chase, who took it home in 2019.

If Nabers suits up on Jan. 1 when LSU faces Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest bowl, he’ll need to tally only 22 receiving yards to become LSU’s new career receiving yardage record holder, surpassing Reed, who finished his career with 3,001 yards. 

Nabers already broke the LSU career receptions record when he eclipsed 183 catches against Texas A&M. 

The Biletnikoff Award’s 650 voters include prominent college football writers, commentators and broadcasters, along with previous winners and other former receivers.