Burlsworth Trophy Announces 10 Semifinalists for 2026
Defending winner Drew Mestemaker among former walk-ons selected from 65 nominees; three finalists to be announced Nov. 17
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Burlsworth Trophy Selection Committee today announced 10 semifinalists for the 2026 Burlsworth Trophy, presented annually to the most outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on.
Now in its 17th year, the award recognizes players who began their careers without financial assistance from their university’s athletic department. This year’s semifinalists were selected from 65 nominees representing Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs across the country.
The semifinalists include defending Burlsworth Trophy winner Drew Mestemaker, now a quarterback at Oklahoma State. Mestemaker won the 2025 award while at North Texas, where he threw for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns. A former high school safety who never started a varsity game at quarterback, he returns to the semifinalist field alongside players representing nine other programs.
2026 BURLSWORTH TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS:
| School | Player | Class | Position |
| Baylor | Gavin Freeman | RS-SR | WR |
| Florida Atlantic | Easton Messer | RS- SR | WR/PR |
| Houston | Anthony Boswell | RS- Soph | OL |
| Indiana | Drew Evans | RS-SR | OL |
| Iowa State | Aiden Flora | Soph | RB/KR/PR |
| North Carolina | Xavier Lewis | Soph | DL |
| Notre Dame | Jordan Faison | SR | WR |
| Oklahoma State | Drew Mestemaker | RS- Soph | QB |
| USC | King Miller | RS- Soph | RB |
| Tennessee | DeSean Bishop | SR | RB |
The selection committee will announce three finalists on Nov. 17. The finalists and their families will be honored at the annual Burlsworth Trophy Award Show on Monday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. CST at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, where the 2026 recipient will be announced.
About the Burlsworth Trophy
The Burlsworth Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, who joined the University of Arkansas football team as a walk-on in 1994 without a single Division I scholarship offer. He earned a scholarship, became a three-year starter and was named an All-American in 1998. The Indianapolis Colts selected him with the 63rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. He was killed in an automobile accident 11 days later.
His life inspired the motion picture “Greater,” released nationally in 2016. His legacy continues through the Burlsworth Trophy and the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, which supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, particularly those with limited opportunities.
The Burlsworth Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) and is featured annually as part of ESPN’s College Football Awards programming.
For more information about the Burlsworth Trophy, visit BurlsworthTrophy.com.
For more information about the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, visit brandonburlsworth.org.
For more information about the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), visit ncfaa.org.
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