FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop was announced as one of 79 nominees for the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy, which is in its 16th year and is presented to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
The award is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman. 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, particularly those children who have limited options.
Despite a record-setting prep career at nearby Karns High School, Bishop had only a few scholarship offers from non-Power Four programs and ultimately chose to bet on himself and enroll at Tennessee as a preferred walk-on in 2023.
The Knoxville native redshirted as a true freshman after getting injured in fall camp before earning a significant role as a redshirt freshman in 2024 when he played in nine games and finished second on the team with 455 rushing yards to go along with three touchdowns. His 6.15 yards per carry led the team and ranked third in the SEC.
Bishop is in the midst of a breakout season in 2025, as he leads the SEC and ranks ninth in the FBS with 6.7 yards per carry (min. 10 rushes/game) through 10 weeks. He also ranks fifth in the SEC with 690 rushing yards, sixth in the league with 76.7 rushing yards per game and third in the conference with nine rushing touchdowns.
To view the entire list of 2025 nominees and for more information about the Burlsworth Trophy, visit burlsworthtrophy.com.
