Nebraska I-back Rex Burkhead has established himself as one of the nation's top running backs on the field heading into his senior season in 2012. Burkhead enters his senior season with 2,654 career rushing yards, good for 12th in school history. He is poised to make a run at the No. 2 spot on that chart as a senior.

Burkhead was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American and an academic All-Big Ten selection in 2011. He was also a first-team academic All-Big 12 pick in 2010 and was a three-time Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll pick. He was also chosen as the winner of the Uplifting Athletes Award of 2011-12, for helping to put a national focus on helping children with rare diseases.