TROY, Ala. – Troy sophomore linebacker Carlton Martial is one of 83 players nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy, the Burlsworth Foundation announced Tuesday. The award is presented annually to the nation's top player who began their career as a walk-on.
Martial's story began as a 5-foot-9 walk-on during a redshirt season in 2017. He earned a scholarship prior to the 2018 season, and now in 2019 is one of the top defensive players in the country.
The Mobile, Ala., native ranks second nationally averaging 1.9 tackles for loss per and is ninth with 10.