Burlsworth Trophy

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 recentNorth Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker
Websitehttp://burlsworthtrophy.com/

The Burlsworth Trophy is an award given annually to the most outstanding FBS college football player who began his career as a walk-on. 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.

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. The trophy was sculpted and produced by Raymond Gibby of Nobility Bronze in Pea Ridge, Arkansas.[citation needed]

Winners and finalists

YearWinnerPos.SchoolOther finalistsRef.
2010Sean BedfordCGeorgia TechArmy LB Josh McNary;
Tennessee LB Nick Reveiz;
Oklahoma State FB Bryant Ward;
Boise State DE Ryan Winterswyk
2011Austin DavisQBSouthern MissHouston WR Patrick Edwards;
Stanford WR Griff Whalen
2012Matt McGloinQBPenn StateMichigan S Jordan Kovacs;
San José State OT David Quessenberry
2013Jared AbbrederisWRWisconsinMissouri G Max Copeland;
Tulsa RB Trey Watts
2014Justin HardyWREast CarolinaMississippi State G Ben Beckwith;
Iowa FB Mark Weisman
2015Baker MayfieldQBOklahomaWashington State QB Luke Falk;
Penn State DE Carl Nassib
2016Baker Mayfield (2)QBOklahomaNorthwestern WR Austin Carr;
Washington State QB Luke Falk
2017Luke FalkQBWashington StateWisconsin TE Troy Fumagalli;
Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield;
Memphis WR Anthony Miller
2018Hunter RenfrowWRClemsonCalifornia RB Patrick Laird;
Wyoming S Marcus Epps
2019Kenny WillekesDEMichigan StateGeorgia K Rodrigo Blankenship;
California S/RS Ashtyn Davis
2020Jimmy MorrisseyCPittsburghBYU WR Dax Milne;
Arkansas LB Grant Morgan
2021Grant MorganLBArkansasGeorgia QB Stetson Bennett;
Troy LB Carlton Martial
2022Stetson BennettQBGeorgiaPurdue QB Aidan O'Connell;
Troy LB Carlton Martial
2023Cody SchraderRBMissouriJames Madison DT James Carpenter;
Oklahoma WR Drake Stoops
2024Bryce BoettcherLBOregonBuffalo LB Shaun Dolac;
Indiana DT James Carpenter
2025Drew MestemakerQBNorth TexasOklahoma G Febechi Nwaiwu;
Texas S Michael Taaffe

References

  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 October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 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.
  16. ↑ "Grant Morgan Named 2021 Burlsworth Trophy Winner". burlsworthtrophy.com. December 6, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Stetson Bennett Named 2022 Burlsworth Trophy Winner". burlsworthtrophy.com. December 5, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Cody Schrader Named 2023 Burlsworth Trophy Winner". burlsworthtrophy.com. December 4, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  19. ↑ Oregonian/OregonLive, James Crepea | The (December 10, 2024). "Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher wins Burlsworth Trophy". oregonlive. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Mestemaker Named 2025 Burlsworth Trophy Winner" (Press release). Brandon Burlsworth Foundation. December 8, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.