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Limpert Named Burlsworth Trophy Nominee

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Today, the Burlsworth Trophy announced a record 83 players nominated from Division 1 (FBS) schools from across the country for the 2...
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FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Today, the Burlsworth Trophy announced a record 83 players nominated from Division 1 (FBS) schools from across the country for the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy. In the award’s tenth year, the Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas Walk-On and All-American offensive lineman. Burlsworth’s life is also the subject of a major motion picture, “GREATER”, which was released in 2016.  The Burlsworth Trophy is given to the most outstanding football player in American who began his career as a Walk-On and has shown outstanding performance on the field. Each nominee must have begun his first season of participation with FBS (D1) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university’s athletic department.

The 2018 winner was receiver Hunter Renfrow from Clemson University. After receiving no division one scholarship offers, Renfrow walked-on at Clemson, where he had 186 receptions for 2133 yards and 15 touchdowns, four of which were in national championship games. The 2017 winner was Luke Falk, a three-year starter for Washington State, where he broke the PAC-12 record for career passing yards during his senior season. The 2015 and 2016 winner was Heisman Trophy Winner Baker Mayfield who was the first pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

The 2019 Burlsworth Trophy nominees are:

“This award is about the journey, the incredibly challenging journey that all of these nominees have taken,” said Marty Burlsworth, CEO and founder of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation and older brother of Brandon. “When you begin your college career as a Walk-On there are plenty of skeptics, those that think you can’t do it. This group of Burlsworth Trophy nominees have proven all the skeptics wrong. They have put in an immense about of work and overcame numerous obstacles to make their dreams come true.”

Without one D1 scholarship offer, Brandon Burlsworth walked on at the University of Arkansas in 1994. He became a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL draft, but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory and supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities.

The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, in conjunction with Springdale Rotary Club, will host an awards ceremony on December 9, 2019 in Springdale, AR to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2019 winner.

Appalachian State

Noel Cook

SR

OL

Arizona State

Cristian Zendejas

Soph

PK

Arkansas

Connor Limpert

SR

K

Arkansas State

Blake Grupe

Soph

K

Auburn

Will Hastings

SR

WR

Ball State

Riley Miller

SR

WR

Bowling Green State

David Konowalski

SR

DE

Brigham Young

Bracken El-Bakri

JR

DL

Buffalo

Chibueze Onwuka

JR

DT

California

Ashtyn Davis

SR

S/KR

Charlotte

Alex Highsmith

SR

DE

Clemson

Patrick Phibbs

SR

LS

Coastal Carolina

Chandler Kryst

SR

CB

Colorado

J.T. Bale

SR

LS

Colorado State

Barry Wesley

Soph

OL

East Carolina

Tyler Snead

Fresh

WR

Eastern Michigan

Hassan Beydoun

Soph

WR

Florida Atlantic

Dante Cousart

SR

WR/PR

Florida State

Tommy Martin

Soph

P

Fresno State

Matt Smith

JR

OL

Georgia

Rodrigo Blankenship

SR

PK

Georgia State

Remy Lazarus

SR

S

Georgia Tech

William Lay

Soph

OL

Hawaii

Kaimana Padello

SR

DL

Indiana

Logan Justus

SR

K

Iowa

Brady Ross

SR

FB

Iowa State

Collin Olson

SR

OL/C

Kansas State

Dalton Schoen

SR

WR

Kent State

Matt Bahr

SR

LB

Kentucky

Blake Best

SR

LS

Louisiana

Deuce Wallace

SR

DB

Louisiana Tech

Cee Jay Powell

JR

WR

Louisville

Tyler Haycraft

SR

OT

Marshall

Tyler Brown

SR

LB

Massachusetts

Kyle Horn

SR

TE

Memphis

Joey Magnifico

SR

TE

Miami

Jimmy Murphy

SR

RB

Michigan

Jordan Glasgow

SR

LB

Michigan State

Kenny Willekes

SR

DE

Minnesota

Sam Renner

SR

DL

Mississippi

Mac Brown

JR

P

Mississippi State

Kody Schexnayder

SR

H/P

Missouri

Dawson Downing

JR

RB

NC State

Thayer Rockne Thomas

Soph

WR

Nebraska

Chase Urbach

SR

LS

Nevada

Quinton Conaway

SR

P

New Mexico

Andrew Shelley

Soph

K

New Mexico State

Austin Perkins

SR

DB

North Texas

Michael Lawrence

SR

WR

Northern Illinois

Jack Heflin

JR

DT

Northwestern

Chris Bergin

JR

LB

Notre Dame

Chris Finke

SR

WR

Ohio State

CJ Saunders

SR

WR

Oklahoma State

Matt Ammendola

SR

K

Old Dominion

Demetrius Stitmon

JR

LB

Oregon State

Daniel Rodriguez

SR

P

Penn State

Jan Johnson

SR

LB

Pittsburgh

Jimmy Morrissey

JR

OC

Rice

Chris Barnes

SR

PK

Rutgers

Cole Murphy

SR

WR/H

San Diego State

Jesse Matthews

Fresh

WR

San Jose State

Josh Love

SR

QB

SMU

Gerrit Choate

JR

DE

South Carolina

Parker White

JR

PK

USC

Chase McGrath

Soph

PK

Stanford

Ryan Beecher

SR

ILB

Syracuse

Andre Szmyt

Soph

K

Temple

Zack Mesday

SR

DE

Texas A & M

Braden White

JR

LB

Toledo

Reggie Gilliam

SR

TE

Troy

Carlton Martial

Soph

LB

Tulane

Merek Glover

JR

K

UCLA

Joshua Kelley

SR

RB

Utah

Paul Toala

SR

OL

Utah State

Dominik Eberle

SR

PK

Virginia

Brenton Nelson

JR

S

Wake Forest

Jack Freudenthal

SR

TE

Washington

Myles Bryant

SR

DB

Washington State

Brandon Arconada

SR

WR

West Virginia

Dante Bonamico

JR

S

Western Kentucky

Ta’Corian Darden

SR

NB

Wisconsin

Matt Henningsen

Soph

DE

Wyoming

Josiah Hall

SR

DE

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