Notre Dame receiver Equanimeous St. Brown had a breakout season in 2016, and now the talented junior is being recognized as one of the top receivers in the country heading into the 2017 season.
St. Brown was named to the 2017 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, a post-season award given to the top pass catcher in the country. It's a unique award in that receivers, tight ends and even running backs are eligible, although only wide receivers have won the award dating back to its inception in 1994.
The native of Anaheim, Calif. caught just one pass in his freshman season but broke out last fall, leading the Fighting Irish with 58 catches for 961 yards and nine touchdowns. He was steady, hauling in at least three receptions in each game and bringing in at least five passes in seven of Notre Dame's 12 games.
With a year of experience under his belt and a new-and-improved offensive system being installed the expectation is that St. Brown will take his production to another level this fall. There are areas of his game that continue to need work, but St. Brown has the tools to breakout as one of the top all-around pass catchers in the country.
Former Notre Dame star Golden Tate (2007-09) is the only Irish player to win the award, something he did in 2009 after hauling in a then school record 93 passes for 1,496 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns. His 1,496 yards is still the school's single season record and the 15 touchdowns remains tied for first.
San Francisco Giants pitcher and former Notre Dame standout Jeff Samardzija was a two-time finalist for the award (2005, 2006). Samardzija rewrote the Notre Dame record books in those two seasons, catching 77 passes for 1,249 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2005, which were all school records at the time. He broke his own single-season receptions record the following season, catching 78 passes for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Tate won the award as a junior and Samardzija had his breakout season as a junior, so St. Brown will look to do the same thing as he enters his third season in South Bend.
Ventell Bryant (Temple), James Gardner (Miami, Ohio) and Ahmonn Richards (Miami, Fla.) were opponents nominated to the list.
Former Oklahoma receiver Dede Westbrook won the award last season.
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