East Carolina graduate student Isaiah Winstead has been added to the 2022 Biletnikoff Watch List according to an announcement by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc.
Since 2006, ECU receivers have been included on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List on 12 occasions. Winstead's selection follows C.J. Johnson (2020), Trevon Brown (2018), Jimmy Williams (2017), Zay Jones (2015-16), Justin Hardy (2012-14), Lance Lewis (2011), Dwayne Harris (2010) and Aundrae Allison (2006). In 2016, Jones became the first Pirate to be named a finalist for the prestigious award.
Winstead, a graduate transfer from Toledo, has started all six games where he leads the team in receptions (43) and yards (565). In his Pirate debut, he caught six passed for 58 yards against NC State and then followed it up with a pair of 100-yard receiving games against Campbell (112) and Navy (143).
On the season, he has hauled down a pair of touchdown passes with a 67-yarder against Navy and a 22-yarder versus South Florida in Boca Raton. Heading into the Memphis contest, he stands among the top 15 nationally in receptions per game (7th/7.2), receiving yards (13th) and receiving yards per game (15th/94.2).
The Biletnikoff Award, presented by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, annually recognizes the outstanding receiver, not merely a wide receiver, and the award recipient is selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of over 200 prominent college football journalists, commentators and former receivers. Receivers may be added to the watch list as their season performances dictate. Ten semifinalists will be announced Nov. 21 before three finalists are declared Nov. 28. The 2022 winner will be presented live on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show, which will be aired Dec. 8 on ESPN.