KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee defensive lineman Paul Bain was announced as a nominee for the 2018 Burlsworth Trophy on Tuesday afternoon.

The Powder Springs, Ga., native was one of 69 players from Division I (FBS) schools named by the Burlsworth Trophy in conjunction with the Springdale (AR) Rotary Club.

In its ninth year, the Burlsworth Trophy is given to the most outstanding college football player in America who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.

Each nominee must have begun his first season of participation with an FBS (D1) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university’s athletic department. The award is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman. Recent winners include Washington State quarterback Luke Falk (2017) and former Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma, Baker Mayfield (2015 & 2016).

Bain started his collegiate career at Division II Tusculum College before deciding to transfer after one season to join the Tennessee football program as a walk-on prior to the 2016 season.

The redshirt senior played sparingly during his first three seasons with the program but impressed the Vols’ new coaching staff this spring and summer. Bain’s hard work was rewarded earlier this season when he was put on scholarship by head coach Jeremy Pruitt the Tuesday prior to UT’s home opener against ETSU.

As a regular on special teams and in the Vols’ defensive line rotation this season, Bain has set career highs with 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery while seeing action in all eight games this year.

The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, in conjunction with Springdale Rotary Club, will host an awards ceremony on December 3, 2018 in Springdale, Ark., to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2018 winner.

UT Athletics