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Burns Is Commitment #17

By Chris Horne

Jul 02, 2010

One of the first offers Mike London sent out as head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers was to 6-7, 230-pound defensive end Rob Burns, who received his official offer letter in late December. It was the first offer for the Stone Bridge (Ashburn, VA) rising senior, who has rewarded London and company with a commitment.

"He committed to Virginia," Stone Bridge head coach Mickey Thompson said. "I didn't know if he was going to go there or not, but what I think put Virginia over the top was Jeff Hanson. Rob really likes Coach Hanson's demeanor and the way he teaches. He was looking for something to separate a school and I think Coach Hanson helped Virginia separate from other schools."

Burns certainly had other options, eventually narrowing his list to four - Boston College, Penn State, Stanford and Virginia. He received written offers from each of these schools before committing to the Cavaliers.

Originally slated to play tight end last season as a junior, Burns moved to defensive end when teammate Dan Chrost went down with a knee injury. Burns moved over to defense and played very well, totaling eight sacks and earning first-team all-district, first-team all-county and second-team all-region honors for his play. He helped the Bulldogs reach the Group AAA, Division 5 state championship game.

With his size and athleticism, Burns could potentially play a number of positions - including defensive end, tight end or potentially offensive tackle - on the next level. UVa has been recruited him initially as a defensive end, though.

"I don't think there is another defensive end in the country with his frame that can run like he can," Thompson said. "And he plays with a lot of tenacity. He plays with a lot of energy out there. He does have some room to grow and needs to add weight, but he is a really good player. He moves well."

Burns becomes high school senior #17 and the eighth prospect out of TheSabre.com's Preseason Top 40 to commit to the Cavaliers. Stay tuned for much more on this commitment on the EDGE.

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