Chiefs draft: Secondary preview
By Ben Almquist
Artie Burns – Miami
Scout’s 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. ~ Rob Rang (CBS)
Top Comparison: David Amerson – Oakland Raiders ~ Lance Zierlein (NFL.com)
My Take: A record setting track star who decided to take his talents to the South Beach gridiron. I like Burns more and more as I continue to study him, and not just on the field. His off the field story is sad yet inspiring, and it doesn’t take long to realize just what kind of character this young man has. He’s a work in progress at this point, so his immediate contribution may not be what we’re hoping for. But I like his long-term potential enough to overlook that.
He has the size, tools, and mindset that the Chiefs like. And while he has work to do, it doesn’t mean the Chiefs couldn’t get him out on the field early on. He’ll be an easy player for fans to cheer for, and has the potential to make an early investment pay off big time. Lots of players only pay lip service to their “motivations”…with Burns, you can’t help but believe him.
Next: Redmond in the house