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WVU's DJ Epps Added to Biletnikoff Watch List; Leads the Nation in Key Category

West Virginia is home to one of the country's most explosive wide receivers.
West Virginia University receiver DJ Epps
West Virginia University receiver DJ Epps | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

After posting a huge day against Cincinnati, where he reeled in eight receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown, West Virginia wide receiver DJ Epps, alongside Missouri's Donovan Olugbode, was added to the Biletnikoff Watch List. The award, of course, goes to the nation's best receiver.

"I know they (Cincinnati) weren't happy with their tackling, which I wouldn't be either if I was trying to tackle DJ," WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said about Epps' massive Week 7 performance. "I had this question, like, I don't know, is DJ an open field guy? Make-you-miss? He had done some of it, but in that game he showed a whole lot of stuff right there. There was one play there was five or six guys he made miss. He did that quite a bit and for our slot receivers, and where he's at a lot of times, that's part of the key. Like, there's going to be somebody there, but DJ was phenomenal in the open field. Better than I had seen him all year."

For the season, Epps is now up to 22 catches for 556 yards and five touchdowns. Heading into this week's game against TCU, he leads the entire country in yards per reception (25.3), and a lot of that is coming after the catch: 232 of it, to be exact.

The updated 2026 Biletnikoff Watch List

Deuce Alexander (Ole Miss)
Cooper Barkate (Miami)
Charlie Becker (Indiana)
Que’Sean Brown (Virginia Tech)
Tre’ Brown III (LSU)
JJ Buchanan (Michigan)
Terrance Carter Jr. (Texas Tech)
Cam Coleman (Texas)
Ryan Coleman-Williams (Alabama)
Mario Craver (Texas A&M)
Chris Dawn Jr. (Texas State)
Collin Dixon (Illinois)
KJ Duff (Rutgers)
Chris Durr Jr. (Maryland)
Jordan Dwyer (TCU)
DJ Epps (West Virginia)
Anthony Evans III (Mississippi State)
Gavin Freeman (Baylor)
Jackson Harris (LSU)
Reed Harris (Arizona State)
Trell Harris (Oklahoma)
Umari Hatcher (Syracuse)
Chase Hendricks (California)
Carlos Hernandez (Wake Forest)
Iverson Hooks (Oregon)
Makai Jackson (Liberty)
Jamari Johnson (Oregon)
Cayden Lee (Missouri)
Jesse Legree (Oregon State)
Nick Marsh (Indiana)
Chris Marshall (Arkansas)
Mike Matthews (Tennessee)
Nik McMillan (Kansas)
Easton Messer (FAU)
Omarion Miller (Arizona State)
T.J. Moore (Clemson)
Javen Nicholas (Duke)
Donovan Olugbode (Missouri)
Braden Pegan (Utah)
Kam Perry (Colorado)
Jayshon Platt (Illinois)
Luke Reynolds (Virginia Tech)
Tre Richardson (Louisville)
Duce Robinson (Florida State)
Isaiah Sategna III (Oklahoma)
Danny Scudero (Colorado)
Junior Sherrill (Vanderbilt)
Keshaun Singleton (Auburn)
Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State)
Victor Snow (North Carolina State)
Beau Sparks (Texas State)
Braylon Staley (Tennessee)
Ian Strong (California)
Amare Thomas (Houston)
Malachi Toney (Miami)
Kelby Valsin (FAU)
Trent Walker (Houston)
Asaad Waseem (Purdue)
Griffin Wilde (Northwestern)
Joseph Williams (Colorado)
Sean Wilson (Delaware)
Ryan Wingo (Texas)
Eli Wood (Utah State)
Wyatt Young (Oklahoma State)

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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