Charlotte 49ers defensive end Alex Highsmith has been nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding football player who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
Highsmith joined the 49ers as a walk-on in 2015 and was awarded a scholarship in summer 2017, following his red-shirt freshman season.
He has since gone on to become the 49ers all-time sack king, earning first team all-Conference USA honors. He also landed on the Chuck Bednarik Watch List (given to the College Defensive Player of the Year) and was tabbed by every preseason publication as one of the top players in Conference USA.
A record 83 players have been nominated from Division 1 (FBS) schools from across the country for the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy. In the award's 10th year, the trophy honors Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman. Burlsworth's life was the subject of the 2016 film, “Greater.”