Klubnik, Williams and Wesco all land on more national preseason award watch lists

CLEMSON, S.C. — The preseason praise keeps raining down on the Clemson Tigers football program. Senior quarterback Cade Klubnik was one of 36 players that found themselves on the Davey O’Brien preseason watch list after being named a semifinalists in 2024. The preseason list features 16 seniors, 13 juniors and seven sophomores.

The Big 12 Conference leads all leagues with eight quarterbacks honored. The Big 12 is followed closely by the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference, both with seven.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 49th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

The praises also keeps coming in for Antonio Williams as he found himself on another preseason watch list. The junior wide receiver and his teammate Bryant Wesco Jr. were two of 47 candidates that landed on the 2025 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List.

Williams led the Tigers in recpetions(75), receiving yards(904) and receiving touchdowns(11) in 2024. Wesco Jr. was second on the team in yards(708), tied for third in touchdown receptions(5) and had 41 receptions in 2024.

The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season’s outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football’s outstanding receiver, not merely college football’s outstanding wide receiver. Tight end Kyle Pitts was a finalist in 2020 and other tight ends were semifinalists in prior years. Moreover, the Biletnikoff Award is a single season, not career, award.

Colorado’s Travis Hunter was the 2024 Biletnikoff Award winner.

The 2025 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List:

Aaron Anderson, LSU (WR)

Chris Bell, Louisville (WR)

Skyler Bell, UConn (WR)

Germie Bernard, Alabama (WR)

O’Mega Blake, Arkansas (WR)

Denzel Boston, Washington (WR)

Jayce Brown, Kansas State (WR)

Josh Cameron, Baylor (WR)

Cam Coleman, Auburn (WR)

Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri (WR)

Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech (WR)

Jack Endries, Texas (TE)

Malachi Fields, Notre Dame (WR)

Ted Hurst, Georgia State (WR)

Justin Joly, North Carolina State (TE)

Omari Kelly, Michigan State (WR)

Max Klare, Ohio State (TE)

Tanner Koziol, Houston (TE)

Cayden Lee, Ole Miss (WR)

Makai Lemon, USC (WR)

Eric McAlister, TCU (WR)

Chrishon McCray, Michigan State (WR)

Adrian Norton, Marshall (WR)

Trebor Pena, Penn State (WR)

Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech (WR)

Chase Roberts, BYU (WR)

Devonte Ross, Penn State (WR)

Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (WR)

Elijah Sarratt, Indiana (WR)

DT Sheffield, Rutgers (WR)

Eric Singleton Jr, Auburn (WR)

Anthony Smith, East Carolina (WR)

Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (WR)

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt (TE)

De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss (WR)

Carnell Tate, Ohio State (WR)

Javon Tracy, Minnesota (WR)

Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (WR)

Junior Vandeross III, Toledo (WR)

Cam Vaughn, West Virginia (WR)

Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech (WR)

Trent Walker, Oregon State (WR)

Harrison Wallace III, Ole Miss (WR)

Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (WR)

Ryan Williams, Alabama (WR)

Antonio Williams, Clemson (WR)

Luke Wysong, Arizona (WR)