Colorado State University Athletics
Jackson Chosen as Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
7/23/2020 11:54:00 AM | Football
Junior is the first receiver since to earn distinction since CSU’s Higgins in 2015
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Not often in the Mountain West is a wide receiver tabbed as the top offensive player returning, but when it happens, he's from Colorado State.
Â
Senior wideout Warren Jackson has been selected by media as the preseason Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, the conference announced Thursday. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound target out of Mission Hills, Calif., is just the second wide receiver to ever earn the distinction, the other being former Rams standout Rashard Higgins in 2015.
Â
Named to the All-Mountain West preseason team Wednesday and placed on the Biletnikoff Award watch list a week ago, Jackson has been drawing attention since his standout junior season in 2019. He finished with 77 receptions for 1,119 yards and eight touchdowns, ranking fourth nationally in yards per game (111.9) and catches per outing (7 .7). His 12-catch performance against Toledo is tied for fourth for receptions in a game by a Ram, and he followed up later in the season with a nine-grab, 214-yard performance against New Mexico. His touchdown that night covered 87 yards, the longest scoring play from scrimmage in the Mountain West in 2019, and matches the second-longest scoring catch in CSU history.
Â
In 33 career games played, Jackson has amassed 124 catches for 1,789 yards and 14 touchdowns, putting him in reach of cracking the career top 10 in program history in each category. His receptions a year ago rank fifth at the school, with the yardage sitting eighth for a single season.
Â
Jackson's emergence carries on a tradition at the position for the Rams, with he, Preston Williams (2018), Michael Gallup (2016-17) and Rashard Higgins (2014-15) all earning first-team All-Mountain West honors. When Higgins was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, he was coming off a 2014 campaign where he was a consensus All-American and Biletnikoff Award finalist after posting 96 catches for 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Â
Fresno State linebacker Justin Rice was selected as the preseason defensive player of the year, while kick returner Savon Scarver of Utah State landed the special teams player of the year honors.
Â
Senior wideout Warren Jackson has been selected by media as the preseason Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, the conference announced Thursday. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound target out of Mission Hills, Calif., is just the second wide receiver to ever earn the distinction, the other being former Rams standout Rashard Higgins in 2015.
Â
Named to the All-Mountain West preseason team Wednesday and placed on the Biletnikoff Award watch list a week ago, Jackson has been drawing attention since his standout junior season in 2019. He finished with 77 receptions for 1,119 yards and eight touchdowns, ranking fourth nationally in yards per game (111.9) and catches per outing (7 .7). His 12-catch performance against Toledo is tied for fourth for receptions in a game by a Ram, and he followed up later in the season with a nine-grab, 214-yard performance against New Mexico. His touchdown that night covered 87 yards, the longest scoring play from scrimmage in the Mountain West in 2019, and matches the second-longest scoring catch in CSU history.
Â
In 33 career games played, Jackson has amassed 124 catches for 1,789 yards and 14 touchdowns, putting him in reach of cracking the career top 10 in program history in each category. His receptions a year ago rank fifth at the school, with the yardage sitting eighth for a single season.
Â
Jackson's emergence carries on a tradition at the position for the Rams, with he, Preston Williams (2018), Michael Gallup (2016-17) and Rashard Higgins (2014-15) all earning first-team All-Mountain West honors. When Higgins was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, he was coming off a 2014 campaign where he was a consensus All-American and Biletnikoff Award finalist after posting 96 catches for 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Â
Fresno State linebacker Justin Rice was selected as the preseason defensive player of the year, while kick returner Savon Scarver of Utah State landed the special teams player of the year honors.
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
WR
/ FootballColorado State Football: Jay Norvell Weekly Press Conference - Week 2 (2025)
Monday, September 01
Colorado State Football: Long (L) and Warren (R) Postgame (Washington, 2025)
Sunday, August 31
Colorado State Football: Jay Norvell Post-Game (Washington, 2025)
Sunday, August 31
Colorado State Football: Jay Norvell Weekly Press Conference - Week 1 (2025)
Monday, August 25