The Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to college football’s best player that started as a walk-on, named its finalists and unsurprisingly, Carl Nassib is among them. The former recruit with no scholarship offers walked on during his freshman year and earned a scholarship his sophomore year.

Just Announced >> Nittany Lion @CarlNassib named a 2015 Burlsworth Trophy finalist! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/dkGUcDpIRI

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 24, 2015

Nassib’s monster senior year is winding down. He broke Penn State’s single-season record for sacks with a few games left to play, and earlier this month we broke down why he should be a serious Heisman candidate.

The issue that plagues defensive players in the Heisman race is that it’s very statistics heavy, and touchdowns are flashier than sacks. Hopefully the same offensive bias doesn’t exist in the Burlsworth race, since the other two finalists are quarterbacks — Baker Mayfield from Oklahoma and Luke Falk from Washington State.

Nassib emerged as the best player on a stacked defensive line that features a few potential NFL players in Garrett Sickels, Anthony Zettel, and Austin Johnson. He leads the nation in sacks with 16, which have resulted in 107 yards lost for the opposing offense. He also is the leader in forced fumbles and tackles for loss.

Fan voting counts as five percent of the decision for who wins the award. Cast your vote at the Burlsworth Trophy’s website and help Nassib bring it home.

About the Author

Doug Leeson

Doug is a sophomore and Onward State's Assistant Managing Editor. Dislikes: popcorn, Rutgers, and a low #TimberCount. Likes: "Frozen," Rec Hall, and you. Contact him via email at dougleeson@onwardstate.com or on Twitter @DougLeeson.

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