Hickory (Chesapeake, VA) standout Richard Burney Jr. has verbally committed to the University of Virginia, giving the Hoos 11 commitments in the class of 2015. The 6’4”, 235-pound rising senior is projected to play tight end, which is an important position of need for the Cavaliers in this class.
Burney confirmed the commitment to TheSabre.com via text message. He chose the Cavaliers over offers from Buffalo, Charlotte and JMU. Several other ACC schools, including UNC, NC State and Wake Forest, expressed serious interest. Hickory head coach Jupiter Wilson says UNC liked Burney’s long-snapping talents in addition to his abilities as a tight end.
“Last year he was an inline tight end. He was kind of beside the ball most of the time,” Wilson said of Burney, who earned first-team All-Conference 10 honors at tight end last season. He also played defensive end for the Hawks. “This year he has become our go-to-guy. In 7-on-7, he is becoming the guy. We’ll isolate him and do something with him this year we didn’t do last year. I’m ready to see what he can do.”
Burney has worked hard in the weight room the past several years, adding good weight to his tall frame.
“I’ve stayed on him about some of the things I want him to do,” Wilson said. “He’s not a ‘rah-rah’ guy, but you tell him to do something and he takes the point and does it. [Burney] is the strongest kid on our team now. He was 190 pounds his sophomore year, 210 pounds his junior year, and now he is 235 pounds.”
Wilson, who played collegiately at UNC, sees Burney having a breakout senior campaign.
“His junior tape is good, but I think he is going to have a great senior season,” Wilson said. Click here to view Burney’s junior season highlights.
Burney has the frame and athletic ability to play on the defensive line in college. Wilson, though, says “I feel like his best position is tight end.”
We will have more with Burney in terms of why he committed to UVa, but in a July interview with Wilson, the Hickory coach had this to regarding Burney’s interest in the Cavaliers:
“I know UVa was up there (on Burney’s list) when he went there for a Junior Day,” Wilson said. “He definitely had them high because they were the first major D1 program he visited. He saw them practice before their Spring Game, which was good.”
EDGE Outlook
As we have reported many times, tight end is one of the biggest positions of need for Virginia in the class of 2015. With Burney in the fold, the Cavaliers now have two commitments at the position – New Jersey’s Tanner Cowley is the other.
If he continues to add weight, Burney could potentially have the size to see the field early. I think, though, that Burney and Cowley are both more developmental prospects at this point, meaning they need some time before being ready to see the field. I do like Burney’s athletic ability. He runs well for his size. The potential is definitely there. His long-snapping abilities are a plus as well. Virginia landed another tight end prospect with plus long-snapping abilities in last year’s class in Evan Butts.
Look for Virginia to try and add a third tight end in this class. Ideally, the Hoos can add a prospect who is ready to compete right away. As the roster stands now, Rob Burns will be a senior in the 2015 season. Mario Nixon, who has yet to play, will be a junior. Butts will be a sophomore or red-shirt freshman. Unless Nixon and/or Butts plays this year, only Burns would have playing experience heading into the 2015 season. (I believe Nixon, if healthy, and Butts will see time in 2014.)
