Walker, often considered the greatest player to come out of the Southwest Conference, was a junior when he won the Heisman Trophy. For three years he was an All-American at Southern Methodist, where in 35 games he scored 303 points on 40 touchdowns, 60 extra points after touchdown and one field goal. Doak gained over 3,500 yards running and passing, and established several other Southwest Conference records that still stand. Walker led the Mustangs to the Cotton Bowl in both 1948 and '49. Walker went to the Detroit Lions where he played for six seasons, leading the league in rushing in his best year. After retiring from football Walker joined the George A. Fuller Co., general contractors, and was based in Denver and Cheyenne. He later formed his own firm, Walker Chemical Co., which he subsequently sold. He served as Vice president of Fischbach & Moore, national electrical contractors. Doak passed away in September 1998. He was married to former Olympic skier Skeeter Werner.
Doak was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1959.
The Voting
Place | Name | School | Class | Position | Points |
| 1 | Doak Walker | Southern Methodist | Junior | RB | 778 |
| 2 | Charlie Justice | North Carolina | Junior | RB | 443 |
| 3 | Chuck Bednark | Pennsylvania | Senior | C | 336 |
| 4 | Jackie Jensen | California | Senior | RB | 143 |
| 5 | Stan Heath | Nevada | Senior | QB | 113 |
| 6 | Norm Van Brocklin | Oregon | Senior | QB | 83 |
| 7 | Emil Sitko | Notre Dame | Junior | HB | 73 |
| 8 | Jack Mitchell | Oklahoma | Senior | QB | 68 |
Walker became only the second junior ever to win the Heisman, following former Army star Doc Blanchard. The SMU star won in the Midwest, Southwest and Far West, with Justice the winner in the South and Bednarik taking the East. Van Brocklin went on to become a star quarterback and coach in the National Football League and Jensen was a standout outfielder for the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
No. of registered electors: 908
Date of announcement: November 30, 1948
Date of dinner: December 7, 1948
The positions within each region:
Place | East | South | Midwest | Southwest | Far West |
| 1 | Bednarik | Justice | Walker | Walker | Walker |
| 2 | Walker | Walker | Justice | Justice | Jensen |
| 3 | Justice | Bednarik | Bednarik | Mitchell | Van Brocklin |
| 4 | Sitko | Heath | Rifenburg | Bednarik | Justice |
| 5 | Heath | Sitko | Sitko | Jensen | Heth |
