Run Defense
Burns’ run defense isn’t his selling point, and there are certainly more concerns in this regard than as a pass rusher, but there are also some reasons to be optimistic. First, the speed that allows him to threaten as an edge rusher also makes an impact as a run defender:
And the nice hand speed and placement that makes him such a threat as an inside rusher also allowed him to penetrate into gaps effectively:
He also did a pretty good job of extending his arms to set the edge effectively:
Though there were times where he got somewhat swamped by the offensive tackle:
As well as the occasional pad level issues that a player with his length is likely to experience from time to time:
However, the biggest concern with his run defense, as with his speed rush, is his size and power. While he was generally very good at making sure he was in the right gap and showed good hand usage, that didn’t prevent him from often ending up going backwards:
And there were also a couple of times on tape where he ended up going backwards of his own accord in order to avoid contact:
As a run defender, Burns is likely to struggle at the point of attack against NFL tackles unless he is able to add functional strength – but his quickness allows him to make plays as a weak side defender and if teams can look to maximize his ability to shoot gaps and set the edge while minimizing the impact of his lack of strength, he can at least be decent in this regard, with the negative plays he’s able to generate going at least some of the way to making up for the plays where he ends up yielding yardage. If he is unwilling to put in the effort to improve as a run defender, there is a chance that opposing offenses see him as a targetable weak point, but there is no reason why that has to be the case, especially at the higher weight he displayed at the combine.
In summation, Burns isn’t without flaws, with his slight frame being the most inherent, but his value as a speed rusher is worth a lot and the potential he flashes in terms of his inside rush, his movement skills and his ability to generate negative plays in the run game are extremely alluring to prospective teams. Burns isn’t perfect, but he can be an immediate contributor as a specialist pass rusher and his ceiling is as high as any player in the class.
Grade: Late First Round
Best-Case NFL Comparison: A Lankier Von Miller
