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Weaver Named 2025 Burlsworth Trophy Nominee
11/5/2025 12:51:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke safety Caleb Weaver has been named a nominee for the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy the organization announced.
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The Burlsworth Trophy is given to the most outstanding 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 FBS (D1) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university's athletic department.
Weaver has started all eight games for the Blue Devils since his transfer arrival from Sam Houston State, where he began as a walk-on performer for the Bearkats. Weaver leads Duke with 57 total tackles and 37 assisted stops. The Houston product registered his first interception as a Blue Devil at Syracuse, when Duke kept the Orange out of the end zone in a 38-3 victory. For the season, Weaver has booked 3.5 tackles for loss to help Duke rank seventh nationally in TFL per game.Â
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"Even with all the changes in college football, the walk-on athlete is still enormously impactful," said Marty Burlsworth, President and CEO of the Burlsworth Trophy and older brother of Brandon Burlsworth. "All of these nominees have a passion for the game and that passion can spread throughout a team. That's what makes these guys special. College football is what it is today because of players that had a dream and were willing to put in the work to make their dreams come true."
Without one D1 scholarship offer, Brandon Burlsworth walked on at the University of Arkansas in 1994. He became a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 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.
The Burlsworth Trophy Award Show to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2025 winner will be on December 8, at 8 p.m. at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Duke travels to Connecticut on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.Â
For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "DukeFOOTBALL".
#GoDuke
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The Burlsworth Trophy is given to the most outstanding 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 FBS (D1) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university's athletic department.
Weaver has started all eight games for the Blue Devils since his transfer arrival from Sam Houston State, where he began as a walk-on performer for the Bearkats. Weaver leads Duke with 57 total tackles and 37 assisted stops. The Houston product registered his first interception as a Blue Devil at Syracuse, when Duke kept the Orange out of the end zone in a 38-3 victory. For the season, Weaver has booked 3.5 tackles for loss to help Duke rank seventh nationally in TFL per game.Â
Â
"Even with all the changes in college football, the walk-on athlete is still enormously impactful," said Marty Burlsworth, President and CEO of the Burlsworth Trophy and older brother of Brandon Burlsworth. "All of these nominees have a passion for the game and that passion can spread throughout a team. That's what makes these guys special. College football is what it is today because of players that had a dream and were willing to put in the work to make their dreams come true."
Without one D1 scholarship offer, Brandon Burlsworth walked on at the University of Arkansas in 1994. He became a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 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.
The Burlsworth Trophy Award Show to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2025 winner will be on December 8, at 8 p.m. at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Duke travels to Connecticut on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.Â
For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "DukeFOOTBALL".
#GoDuke
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