Miami Hurricanes NFL Draft Profile: Artie Burns

Artie Burns

6'0 193 CB

40 yard dash -   4.4 - 4.5 range (4.46 at NFL Combine).

2015 Key Stats:  6 INTs,  All-ACC 2nd Team.  All-American Hurdler for the Track Team.

PRO DAY RESULTS

Short shuttle: 4.3 seconds
3-cone: 6.96 seconds
Vertical: 33 inches
Broad: 10 feet, 4 inches
Bench: 7 reps of 225 pounds

Overview:

In 2015 Artie Burns picked off more passes than any Miami player since the late/great Sean Taylor.

In three years at "The U"  he improved each and every season.

With the very well documented loss and of his mother Dana Smith during the season, and his stock soaring, the move to forego his senior season and enter the pros makes sense.

Burns has NFL ready athleticism, balls skills, and a great feel for the game.

He is very good in the open field making tackles, and is definitely a competitor on game day.

Some of his technique can use work, but he has all the qualities NFL Scouts look for in molding a DB to their defense, and could even get a look at S at the next level.

Strengths:

Ball skills, speed, size, recovery, good frame, versatility, intensity.

Overall Burns both looks and plays the part of a big time cover corner.   He slid to S at times for UM. Also looks like he can be both a field or boundary corner and has the quickness to cover the slot as well.  On the rare occasions the Hurricanes used him to blitz, he usually made big plays/disrupted the offense.

Weaknesses:

Consistent tackler but sometimes too much of an "arm tackler",  could use improvement on overall technique occasionally letting WR's get inside on him.

Against the top players on the league, just latching on to a ball carrier may not always work, especially in run support.  He could also learn the subtleties of using his hands better in press coverage (something Miami did not ask him to do often).

Draft Projection:

2nd - 3rd Round.

Teams like the Dolphins, Jets (minus Antonio Cromartie), Titans, Ravens, Steelers, Raiders, and especially the Cowboys might want to take a long look at AB.

Early on he can step in and be a #2 or worst case #3/slot corner that helps an NFL defense tremendously.

With development he could even be a lock down #1.

In Coral Gables he also excelled on Special Teams, something he'll need to do early on at the next level.

In Burns you have  next level athlete, who has the desire to get better, so the the sky is the limit.

While I do not think he slips into the first 32 picks,  he won't last much longer than Day 2.

Burns is a top flight prospect who's ceiling is the Pro Bowl if he is in the right situation and coached up a little.

His propensity to get his hands on the ball, should also make him a very productive pro for a very long time.