Maryland wideout Demus Jr. named to Biletnikoff watch list

Maryland senior wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr. has been named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Thursday morning.

The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the nation's most outstanding receiver in college football.

Demus Jr. led the Terps in receptions (24), receiving yards (365) and receiving touchdowns (4) while starting all five games last season, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. He had a touchdown reception in each of Maryland's final four games of the 2020 season.

Demus Jr. enters his senior season with 78 receptions for 1,268 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career. He’s currently tied for the 11th most touchdown grabs in program history. With one more receiving touchdown, Demus Jr. will move to ninth all-time at Maryland, tying Marcus Badgett (1989-92) and Barry Johnson (1987-90). With four more receiving touchdowns, Demus Jr. would move to fifth all-time at Maryland, tying current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (2012-14).

Demus Jr. is the first Maryland wideout to be named a preseason Biletnikoff candidate since Diggs earned a spot on the watch list in 2013 and 2014. Current Carolina Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore was a midseason addition to the watch list back in 2017.

Semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award will be announced November 22, 2021, with the three finalists for the award being unveiled November 29. The winner of the 2021 Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 9, 2021.

Demus Jr. is the third Terp to earn national preseason honors, joining Taulia Tagovailoa, who was named to the Maxwell Award watch list and Tayon Fleet-Davis, who was named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list.