University of Florida Football’s Charles Emanuel III Awarded Second Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation Walk On Scholarship
The Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation announced today that University of Florida football team member Charles Emanuel III has been selected as the second recipient of this year's Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation Walk On Scholarship, which awards walk-on student-athletes a $10,000 scholarship.
Emanuel, a redshirt freshman, plays edge for the Florida Gators. The Orlando, Fla. native joined the Gators as a preferred walk-on in the summer of 2024 after a successful career at Lake Nona High School, where he played in the Elite 100 Prospect Senior All-Star Game.
In his application, Emanuel stated, "Resilience doesn't just show up when things go wrong. Resilience is built in the moments when you choose not to give up. My experiences taught me that no matter how tough things get, no matter how unfair the circumstances may seem, I am responsible for my own success. I learned to silence the noise, block out the doubt, and focus on what I could control: my attitude and my effort."
"I know the path to becoming a collegiate football player is different for everyone, and, like it did in my career, can often take unexpected turns," stated Baker. "Seeing Charles using his experiences to drive him to be better, both on and off the field, stood out the most to me, and we are so honored to be able to help him achieve his goals and dreams."
"Football has brought our family so many blessings, and one of the most important things for us is finding ways to give back," added Emily. "Being able to award our second scholarship to a student-athlete from our adopted home truly makes it even more rewarding, and we know Charles will go on to do great things."
This year marks the inaugural year of the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation's scholarship program, created to help alleviate some of the financial pressures that walk-on athletes face as they pursue their athletic and academic goals. The first recipient of the scholarship was Jakeb Snyder of the University of Oklahoma.
During his collegiate career, Baker Mayfield became one of the most successful walk-on athletes in college football history, becoming the first walk-on to open an FBS season as a starting quarterback at Texas Tech University before transferring to the University of Oklahoma. There, he played for three seasons and capped off his collegiate career by becoming the first-ever walk-on player to win the Heisman Trophy in 2017. He went on to become the first former walk-on selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation Walk On Scholarship will be available for future applicants following the Spring 2026 semester. Those interested in supporting the growth and expansion of the scholarship program can contact the Foundation at info@bemayfield.com.