TROY, Ala. – For the third straight season, Troy linebacker Carlton Martial has been named a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation's top player who began their career as a walk-on.
Martial has established himself as one of the top defensive players in the country over his illustrious career. The Mobile, Ala., native has the third most career tackles among active players (all levels) with 393 and the second-most at the FBS level behind Texas Tech's Colin Schooler, who has played 12 more games than Martial.
A semifinalist for the award last year, Martial leads all players at the FBS level, including Schooler, with his tackle total since he began playing in the 2018 season – in fact, his total is 45 tackles more than Schooler's tally.