4-star OL Jager Burton commits to Kentucky: Breakdown and Highlights

Kentucky has landed another elite player from right here in the Commonwealth.

Four-star offensive lineman just Jager Burton committed to the Wildcats, giving them a stellar addition to their 2021 class. Burton made the call at KSBar and Grille in Lexington, where he’ll be playing football for the foreseeable future.

The Frederick Douglass standout weighs in at 6-4, 270 pounds and will be a key piece to keep the Big Big Wall in tact over the next few seasons.

Burton is highest-rated player in the state of Kentucky by 247 Sports and ranks as the 59th best player in the entire country. He’s also one of the 10 highest-ranked players to ever pick Kentucky at 247.

Needless to say, this commitment is a big deal for the Cats.

So, what type of player is UK getting?

In short, a strong one, a very very strong one.

Burton is known to be a monster in the weight room and has put the work in to be ready for SEC football sooner rather than later.

I think a fair comparison is another hometown kid in Landon Young. Both players will arrive for a their freshman season very highly rated in recruiting circles and with the size to compete immediately.

A scouting report from 247 Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu clearly spells out that not only should Burton be a multiple year starter in the SEC, but he also has the potential to play on Sundays.

Here is the entire evaluation that was written back in February 2020:

“Powerfully built player who has spent a lot of time in the weight room. Explosive player who gets into the second level and runs well at his size. Strong and easily knocks defenders off balance. When asked to pull, he does it with great effort. Solid in pass protection. He has a good punch and good feet, he just needs a little technical refinement there. Plays tackle in high school but will move inside in college. Should be a highly productive college guard but could play center as well. He will come into a school ready to compete as far as functional strength. Would be a surprise if he did not start multiple years and have an opportunity to play beyond college.”

If you’ve followed Burton’s recruitment, then you know just how much competition Mark Stoops and his staff had to seal the deal. Vince Marrow and John Schlarman were both involved in his recruitment throughout the process. Despite being courted by the heaviest hitters in all of college football, Burton made the ultimate decision remain in Kentucky, and he will be counted on to keep the Cats dominant in the trenches.

A few weeks ago, Burton spoke with KSR’s Ryan Lemond and provided a genuine description of his relationship with Vince Marrow. After reading this quote it really sums up why high-caliber players like Jager Burton trust Coach Marrow.

“He kind of seems like a high school coach. Like not as close to me as (Frederick Douglass) Coach McPeek are, but kind of like that relationship where it’s a friend and then a coach.” Burton said. “You know they’re there for you no matter what and it’s not just all about football. They genuinely care about you and want to see you succeed no matter what happens.”

You can’t fault him for a second for choosing to explore all of his options and enjoy the process of his recruitment. His final five schools were Alabama, Clemson, Oregon, Ohio State and Kentucky. That’s about as impressive as a list can get while also calling attention to just how good the most respected college coaches in the country believe that Jager Burton can be.

Back in June, Burton had this to say when comparing UK to the other six schools on his list.

“A lot of people say whenever they look at my top seven, it’s these schools and Kentucky. I think Kentucky, to me at least, is on the same level as all those other schools and they’re improving still, which is cool to see. I think one of the biggest sells for me to Kentucky is being able to — at some places you’re expected to win, and Kentucky is expected to win now, but they’re about to take the next step.” Burton said.

If the past three years has taught Kentucky football fans nothing else, it’s this: To win in the SEC, you have to be stout up front and have nationally ranked talent

Jager Burton will meet all of those needs and should be a solid piece to Kentucky’s offensive line for years to come.

Check out some highlights of the newest Wildcat in action:

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