STRENGTHS: Looks the part of an NFL cornerback with broad shoulders, long arms and a tapered, well-developed frame. Offers an exciting combination of size, temperament and overall athleticism, including excellent straight-line speed, which has helped him star on the gridiron as well as the track for the Hurricanes. He broke a 38-year-old American record (amongst athletes under the age of 21) with a time of 7.68 seconds in the 60-yard hurdles in 2014 and was a three-time Florida state 3A 110 hurdle champion.
Burns is far from just a track athlete, however. While perhaps not as physical as scouts would prefer, he's a competitive defender who was asked to play inside at safety, at times, by the Hurricanes. He flashes savvy and body control to slip by would-be blockers in run support and on blitzes off the edge. He extends his arms to get a physical jam on receivers at the line of scrimmage but isn't reliant on it, showing the agility to turn and run with receivers downfield, as well.
Burns possesses the body control and sticky hands to snatch passes outside of his frame and possesses impressive ball skills, overall. He is an effective open-field tackler, tripping up ballcarriers with his length and showing good awareness to rip at the ball when assisting.
WEAKNESSES: Isn't yet the sum of his parts. Overly reliant on his physical tools, at this point, allowing savvy route-runners to gain inside position on him and losing track of the ball. Prefers to latch onto and drag ball-carriers to the ground rather than lowering his shoulder and exploding into opponents and looks to avoid oncoming blockers.
IN OUR VIEW: Don't let Burns' track background fool you, he's a legitimate NFL prospect with the upside to warrant early-round consideration. He's at his best in press man coverage where he can use his length, aggression and speed to harass wideouts on the perimeter and has the ball skills to punish quarterbacks who challenge him.
COMPARES TO: Darius Slay, Detroit Lions: A fluid athlete with agility, speed and ball-skills, Slay has developed into a standout for the Lions after being selected 36th overall selection in the 2013 draft. Burns has this kind of potential but like Slay, may need a year or two to acclimate, especially when it comes to run support.
