CONGRATULATIONS: MSU Ryan Eckley Nominated for Burlsworth Trophy
Ryan Eckley Nominated for Burlsworth Trophy
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley has been nominated for the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy, which is annually 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.
Seventy-nine players have been nominated from FBS schools from across the country for the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy. In the award’s 16th year, the Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman.
Each nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy must have begun his first season of participation with FBS (DI) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university’s athletic department.
“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 DI 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.
Eckley, a Ray Guy Award candidate and preseason All-American, has shown why he is one of the best punters in the nation in the first nine games of the season. He currently ranks No. 1 in the FBS with his 49.7-yard punting average, and also ranks first in the Big Ten in 50-yard plus punts (16) and fourth with 12 punts inside the 20.
The Lithia, Florida, native has dropped seven punts inside the opponents’ 10-yard line, including three at the 1 and one at the 2.
He was named the Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week following his performance against Boston College in Week 2. He had two punts downed at the 1, and all three of his punts were downed inside the 20, for 0 return yards. He finished with a 54.7 yards per punt average, starting his night with a 60-yarder in the first quarter that was downed at the BC 12, then adding a 55-yarder downed at the 1 early in the fourth quarter and topping his punting night with a 49-yarder downed at the 1 on the second-to-last play of regulation.
Eckley was also named to the Ray Guy Award weekly honor roll – “Ray’s 8” – in Week 1 against Western Michigan (51.3-yard average, four punts inside the 20, four punts of 50-plus yards) and Week 9 against Michigan (47.4-yard average, two punts inside the 20, three punts of 50-plus yards).
Eckley has a career punting average of 47.9 yards per punt (132 punts for 6,318 yards), which would rank No. 1 in school history (current record: Bryce Baringer, 46.0 avg.). That average also ranks No. 1 among current active players in the FBS.
The Burlsworth Trophy Award Show to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2025 winner will be on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. ET at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.
MSU All-America defensive end Kenny Willekes became the first Spartan to win the Burlsworth Trophy in 2019.
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