Marqise Lee named a finalist for Biletnikoff

Sophomore wide receiver Marqise Lee has been announced as one of three finalists for the 2012 Biletnikoff Award, joining Baylor senior Terrance Williams and West Virginia junior Stedman Bailey.

The trio will attend the trophy presentation at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. on Dec. 6 to see who will be honored as the nation’s best wide receiver.

Lee is the national leader in catches with 107 and receiving yards with 1,605, the latter being a Pac-12 single-season record.

Lee needs just five more receptions to break the conference mark, which was set just last season by his teammate junior wide receiver Robert Woods.

Lee is third in the country in receiving touchdowns (14), a category led by Bailey (20). Bailey is also fourth in receiving yards (1,260) and fifth in receptions (88).

Williams is eighth in receptions (82), second in receiving yards (1,518) and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (11).

In the Trojans’ Oct. 27 game at Arizona, Lee caught 16 passes on his way to setting the Pac-12 record for most receiving yards (345) in a game. Among his other notable performances this season was the home opener against Hawai’i in which he scored a touchdown on the first play of the game and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

Lee might be perceived as a favorite for the award, considering he is the only flanker in the country currently receiving attention for the Heisman Trophy, as well.

In ESPN’s latest Heisman Poll, Lee ranks sixth, which puts him just one spot away from being named a finalist for the award.

Former Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon won the last two Biletnikoff awards, beating out Woods and former Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles last season.