2019 NFL Draft: Brian Burns might be best pure pass rusher in draft

Former Florida State edge-rusher Brian Burns has an array of pass rushing moves that could make him the draft’s best pure pass rusher.

Florida State’s Brian Burns is undoubtedly one of the top overall players in the 2019 NFL Draft class, but he might be even better than you think. While the talk of the draft in terms of edge rushers has centered around Ohio State’s Nick Bosa and Kentucky’s Josh Allen, there isn’t a prospect with a more refined skill-set as a pass rusher than Burns.

In what was an otherwise lost season in Tallahassee, Burns provided one of the few bright spots for the Seminoles. Florida State went 5-7 and missed a bowl game for the first time in 36 years.

Burns finished the season as a First-Team All-ACC performer with 15.5 tackles-for-loss and 10 sacks. Over his three year career in Tallahassee, Burns totaled 23 sacks and 38.5 tackles-for-loss. He had three multi-sack games as a junior in 2018, two of which came in losing efforts.

The Florida State product is an elite athlete, and with his various moves and counter-moves as a pass rusher, he could easily find himself selected in the Top 10 next week.

Strengths

Burns is the total package as a pass rusher, and could very well go higher than some have projected. He blends an excellent array of pass rushing moves with his elite athleticism and speed, making him nearly impossible to block in one-on-one situations on the outside.

Most players his age typically have one go-to move that they have mastered and use repeatedly; Burns has already displayed numerous moves, never fully relying on just one to get the job done.

He’s quick enough to beat tackles with his speed rush off the edge, but he’s also got an excellent inside spin move to counter when he’s beaten to his spot. He’s shown a nice swim move as well.

Perhaps his most glaring weakness entering the pre-draft process was his perceived lack of size, potentially forcing him into being a stand-up edge rusher in a 3-4 system. Those concerns were put to bed at the combine as he measured in at 6-foot-5 and 249 pounds, and with a ridiculous 83 5/8 wing span. He has the frame to easily add more weight, meaning he should be able to play across any scheme.

Burns also has great flexibility, allowing him to bend around edge rushers to make it even tougher to keep him away from the quarterback. He should make an immediate impact as a rookie pass rusher, with the potential to eventually be an NFL sack champion.

Weaknesses 

Finding a weakness in Burns’s game is difficult. Anything really feels like nit-picking to just find something. 

He’ll need to improve his strength, which should come in an NFL strength and conditioning program as he adds more weight to hold up to the rigors of the pro schedule.

Adding that extra strength will also help him when it comes time to set the edge as a run defender. He has excellent pass rushing skills, but he needs some work in defending the run. He needs to display the same aggressiveness that makes him a feared pass rusher in the run game, instead of being content with taking up space on the edge.

His motor could also be concerning for NFL teams. He always looks like he’s playing hard, but why would a player with his athletic skill-set only manage one sack over the last five games of the regular season? Florida State entered that five game stretch at 4-3 needing two wins to obtain bowl eligibility and maintain the nation’s longest bowl streak.

The ‘Noles went 1-4 in those five games, with Burns’s only sack coming in a win over Boston College. Why did he disappear so much during the most important stretch of the season?

Draft Expectations 

None of the concerns with Burns come anywhere close to outweighing the massive positives in his corner. He has elite potential, and while his ceiling might exceed even Bosa’s, his floor is plenty high too with his technical refinement.

Burns probably should be drafted inside the Top-10, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a team move up the draft board in order to snag him. Edge rushers are always at a premium in the NFL, so it’s tough for me to envision him falling outside of the first 10 picks, depending of course on what happens with the quarterbacks.

If both Bosa and Allen are off the board already, the Raiders could pull the trigger at No. 4. Tampa Bay would have interest next, and the Giants, Jaguars, Lions, and Broncos would all consider Burns as well if he’s on the board when they pick.

Projection: Top 10