The Burlsworth Trophy is an award given annually to the most outstanding FBS college football player who began his career as a walk-on.[1][2] It was first awarded for the 2010 season and is a program of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation. Burlsworth walked on to the Arkansas Razorbacks football program in 1994 and became an All-American. He was killed in a car accident 11 days after being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft.[3]

Burlsworth Trophy
Awarded forThe most outstanding FBS college football player who began his career as a walk-on.
LocationCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas
CountryUnited States
Presented byThe Brandon Burlsworth Foundation
History
First award2010
Most recentCody Schrader, Missouri
Websitehttp://burlsworthtrophy.com/

On October 28, 2019, the Burlsworth Trophy became a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). It joins the Broyles Award as the only members of the NCFAA originating in Arkansas.[4] The trophy was sculpted and produced by Raymond Gibby of Nobility Bronze in Pea Ridge, Arkansas.[citation needed]

Winners and finalists

edit
Year Winner Pos. School Ref. Other finalists
2010 Sean Bedford C Georgia Tech [5] Josh McNary, LB, Army
Nick Reveiz, LB, Tennessee
Bryant Ward, FB, Oklahoma State
Ryan Winterswyk, DE, Boise State
2011 Austin Davis QB Southern Miss [6] Patrick Edwards, WR, Houston
Griff Whalen, WR, Stanford
2012 Matt McGloin QB Penn State [7] Jordan Kovacs, S, Michigan
David Quessenberry, OT, San Jose State
2013 Jared Abbrederis WR Wisconsin [8] Max Copeland, G, Missouri
Trey Watts, RB, Tulsa
2014 Justin Hardy WR East Carolina [9] Ben Beckwith, G, Mississippi State
Mark Weisman, FB, Iowa
2015 Baker Mayfield (2) QB Oklahoma (2) [10] Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State
2016 [11] Austin Carr, WR, Northwestern
Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
2017 Luke Falk QB Washington State [12] Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin
Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis
2018 Hunter Renfrow WR Clemson [13] Patrick Laird, RB, California
Marcus Epps, S, Wyoming
2019 Kenny Willekes DE Michigan State [14] Rodrigo Blankenship, PK, Georgia
Ashtyn Davis, S/KR, California
2020 Jimmy Morrissey C Pittsburgh [15] Dax Milne, WR, BYU
Grant Morgan, LB, Arkansas
2021 Grant Morgan LB Arkansas Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia
Carlton Martial, LB, Troy
2022 Stetson Bennett QB Georgia Aidan O'Connell, QB, Purdue
Carlton Martial, LB, Troy
2023 Cody Schrader RB Missouri James Carpenter, DT, James Madison
Drake Stoops, WR, Oklahoma

References

edit
  1. ^ "Burlsworth Trophy".
  2. ^ "1st Burlsworth trophy goes to Ga. Tech walk-on", Associated Press in The Seattle Times, March 15, 2011.
  3. ^ "Arkansas to honor Brandon Burlsworth", Associated Press at ESPN.com, August 19, 2010.
  4. ^ "The Burlsworth Trophy Becomes Member of NCFAA". Hogville.net. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  5. ^ "2010 Trophy Winner – Burlsworth Trophy".
  6. ^ "Southern Miss QB wins Burlsworth Award", Associated Press in Knoxville News Sentinel, December 9. 2011.
  7. ^ "Penn State QB McGloin wins Burlsworth Award"[permanent dead link], Associated Press at Yahoo! Sports, December 3, 2012.
  8. ^ "Wisconsin WR Abbrederis win Burlsworth Award" (Press release). Wisconsin Badgers. December 9, 2013. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  9. ^ "Justin Hardy Named 2014 Burlsworth Trophy Winner" (Press release). ECU Athletics. December 8, 2014. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "Oklahoma Quarterback Baker Mayfield Named 2015 Burlsworth Trophy Winner" (Press release). Burlsworth Trophy. December 7, 2015. Archived from the original on December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  11. ^ "Baker Mayfield Named 2016 Burlsworth Trophy Winner" (Press release). Burlsworth Trophy. December 5, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  12. ^ "Washington State's Luke Falk Named 2017 Burlsworth Trophy Winner" (Press release). Burlsworth Trophy. December 4, 2017. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  13. ^ Clemson receiver wins Burlsworth Trophy, NWA Online, December 3, 2018
  14. ^ Solari, Chris (December 9, 2019). "Michigan State football DE Kenny Willekes wins Burlsworth Trophy as best former walk-on". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  15. ^ McGonigal, John (January 4, 2021). "Pitt's Jimmy Morrissey wins Burlsworth Trophy as college football's top former walk-on". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
edit