Connection to the Panthers runs deeper than draft for Florida State DE Brian Burns
Florida State edge rusher Brian Burns will probably be happy playing for whichever team selects him in the upcoming NFL Draft, but playing for the Carolina Panthers would offer him an opportunity few other players get — the opportunity to play for the same team that drafted his older brother.
Burns said Tuesday on WFNZ-AM that he had previously visited Charlotte when his older brother played for Carolina. The Panthers selected former Auburn defensive end Stanley McClover in the seventh round of the 2006 draft days after Burns’ 8th birthday.
Burns said he owned his brother’s jersey, as well as that of future Hall of Famer and recently retired Panthers star, Julius Peppers.
The idea of not just following in his brother’s footsteps, but also those of Peppers intrigues Burns, who told WFNZ’s Nick Wilson and Josh Parcell he will surpass Peppers’ mark of 159.5 career sacks.
“That’d mean a lot. He did a lot of great things in this league, especially (with) the Panthers,” Burns said about Peppers. “That’s big shoes to fill and I’m glad to fill them. That’d definitely mean a lot.”
McClover was the 237th overall pick after an All-SEC career at Auburn. He played 13 games for the Panthers in two seasons, recording a sack and eight tackles before his release in 2008. He briefly played for the Houston Texans after his release, as well as the Chicago Rush and Los Angeles Kiss of the Arena Football League.
The Panthers might be interested enough in Burns to select him with the No. 16 overall pick later this month. Carolina general manager Marty Hurney attended Burns’ pro day in March, a source told the Observer, and it’s well known the team is looking for help on its defensive line via the draft. Burns’ athleticism allows him to play both defensive end and outside linebacker, which fits well with the Panthers’ goal to use multiple looks on defense this season.
Burns, at 6-foot-5, 249 pounds, ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine last month and turned in a 36-inch vertical jump with a 129-inch broad jump — good for third-best, eighth-best and second-best among his position group, respectively.
A four-star prospect out of football factory American Heritage in Plantation, Fla., Burns recorded 123 total tackles in three seasons at Florida State, with 38.5 tackles for a loss and 23 sacks. He is a near-unanimous first-round pick according to several NFL draft analysts.
This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Connection to the Panthers runs deeper than draft for Florida State DE Brian Burns."
