Carlton Martial Nominated for Burlsworth Trophy

TROY, Ala. – Troy junior linebacker Carlton Martial has once again been nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation's top player who began his career as a walk-on.

A two-time All-American, Martial's story is a remarkable one. He came to Troy as a 5-foot-9 walk-on with no FBS offers, three FCS offers (Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Jackson State) and four DII offers (North Alabama, West Alabama, Tuskegee, West Florida). He redshirted the 2017 season and made his mark on the scout team, so much so he earned a scholarship before he ever played a collegiate snap.

Martial's 296 career tackles are the most by any active player the last three seasons and his 220 tackles since the start of the 2019 season are the most in the country. He currently ranks ninth nationally with 92 tackles this season and is on track to become the first Trojan to record 100-plus tackles in consecutive seasons since Naazir Yamini did so in 2001 and 2002. The Mobile, Ala., native has recorded double-digit tackles in three straight games and in four of the last six with a pair of nine tackle games sprinkled in.

Last season, Martial was named to the Pro Football Focus All-America Second Team and was named the No. 35 player in the country by PFF. He became just the 12th player and first underclassman in the last 20 years at the FBS level to finish a season with at least 100 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three interceptions. He was the only player in the country to rank in the top eight nationally in tackles (10.5) and tackles for loss per game (1.54), and he recorded double-digit tackles in seven of Troy's games and added seven or more tackles in four other games.

He took the Sun Belt by storm his freshman season en route to Freshman All-America honors ... was rated by PFF as the 20th best defensive player in the country and fifth nationally against the run – three of the four players ahead of him were selected within the first 13 picks of the NFL Draft (minimum of 375 snaps).

The Burlsworth 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.

Troy University Athletics

Carlton Martial Nominated for Burlsworth Trophy

Players Mentioned

Carlton Martial

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