Ty Bryant Named a Campbell Trophy Finalist, the 'Academic Heisman'

Ty Bryant is one of the best football scholar-athletes in the country, and now it's official. The National Football Foundation named the Kentucky senior safety a finalist for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy on Wednesday, college football's top scholar-athlete award and the one people call the "Academic Heisman."

The resume is ridiculous. Bryant carries a 3.83 GPA, finished his communication degree at UK in May and is already working on a second degree in psychology. Last year he became Kentucky's first First-Team Academic All-American since Will Levis in 2022. He also sits on UK's Student-Athlete Advisory Council and the SEC Football Leadership Council.

The football side holds up too. The Lexington native has 215 career tackles and eight career interceptions, tied for fifth among active FBS players. His three picks this season rank second in the SEC, including two in the win at Oklahoma, and his 52 tackles are third on the team for a 6-1 Kentucky.

Being a finalist comes with an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and a spot in the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. The winner is announced Dec. 8 in Las Vegas and gets $25,000.

Our Take: The hometown kid who stayed home is the face of what Will Stein's Kentucky looks like when it's working: smart, tough and around the ball. Bryant and the Cats host Vanderbilt on Saturday night at Kroger Field.

via UK Athletics

Sources: UK Athletics, Kentucky Football on X, NFF semifinalists