The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, on Friday, announced that receiver Makai Lemon of the University of Southern California is the 2025 winner of the Biletnikoff Award. A Los Alamitos High graduate, Makai was introduced as the winner on The Home Depot College Football Awards. The other outstanding finalists were Skyler Bell of Connecticut and Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State.
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season’s outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot or inside receiver, wing back, or 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.
The correlation between Biletnikoff Award winners and stardom in the National Football League is nearly uniformly consistent. Past Biletnikoff Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Golden Tate, Brandin Cooks, the late Terry Glenn, Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, and Larry Fitzgerald.
Makai Lemon will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by TQC Foundation Chairman John Harris Jr., assisted by Coach Lincoln Riley and College Football Hall of Famer Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, keynote speaker, at the black-tie Biletnikoff Award Banquet & Celebration at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
The banquet has featured distinguished keynoters of profound character and accomplishments including the late Bart Starr, Dick Vermeil, the late Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, Steve Largent, Mike Ditka, the late Don Shula, the late Dan Reeves, Archie Manning, Ron Jaworski, Gene Stallings, Bob Griese, Bill Curry, the late Bobby Bowden, Jim Kelly, Jerry Kramer, Joe Theismann, Dan Fouts, Chad Hennings, Lou Holtz, Aaron Taylor, Archie Griffin, Danny Wuerffel, Drew Pearson, and Gino Torretta.
USC and TCU will face off in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30 in San Antonio Texas, at 6 p.m.
