Personal: Named to the North Carolina Associated Press All-State team in football and baseball • Considered the No. 17 football player in North Carolina by The Charlotte Observer • SuperPrep's 25th-ranked player in North Carolina • Member of North Carolina's Shrine Bowl team • Rushed for 1,345 yards and scored 16 touchdowns from the quarterback position as a senior • Also threw for 478 yards • Started at quarterback and defensive back • Averaged 10 tackles per game and finished as the school's career interception leader with 25 • Helped lead Southwest Onslow to 2-A state titles in 2003 and 2004 • Team finished 10-3 in 2005 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs • Also played wide receiver • Coached by Phil Padgett • A three-sport (football, baseball, basketball) star in high school who plans to walk on to the Carolina baseball team • Batted .424 (28 of 66) as a junior with 10 doubles, four home runs and 15 RBI • Made 14 appearances as a pitcher and was 3-0 with two saves and a 1.24 ERA • Coached by Eric Leary in baseball • Attended the same high school as former North Carolina All-America Marcus Jones • Son of Monica and Tyrone Burney • Born February 14, 1988.
Notes: Also starred in baseball and basketball as a North Carolina prep, in addition to playing quarterback, cornerback and receiver for a back-to-back state championship team. Redshirted in 2006. Started all 12 games at left cornerback in '07 and recorded 50 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception (returned 76 yards for a score against North Carolina State), with 4½ tackles for loss and a sack. In '08, started all 13 games at LCB and logged 78-5-3 with 7½ tackles for loss. Also returned six punts for 37 yards (6.2-yard average) following the season-ending injury to Brandon Tate. Missed time during '09 spring practice (hamstring pull) but started all 13 games at left cornerback and posted 52-3-5, including a 77-yard TD against Miami and a 30-yard TD against Boston College, with 4-37 (9.2) on punt returns. Played baseball (outfielder-pitcher) his first two years at UNC. Missed the first seven games of the '10 season due to an NCAA investigation related to academic fraud and improper dealings with an agent. Returned to the lineup to make six starts at RCB and managed 30-2-2 with one-half tackle for loss. Strained his right hamstring at the Combine.
Positives: Quick-footed and agile. Sinks his hips and transitions efficiently. Pops out of breaks. Diagnoses quickly, trusts what he sees and reacts quickly to plays in front of him. Good zone instincts - will peel off his man to play the ball. Very good hands and ball skills - does not panic in the air and shows the ability to highpoint interceptions. Assignment-sound and rarely beat deep - puts himself in position to make plays. Has punt-return experience. Cares about the game and leads by example.
Negatives: Lacks ideal height and has short arms. Marginal timed speed and does not have an extra gear to make up ground with the ball in the air. Did not look fluid in drills at the Combine. Needs to improve functional strength - cannot jam with force, will struggle matching up with big receivers and slips off some tackles. Does not provide much resistance in run support. Had to sit out first half of senior season - did not stay in football shape and recorded 13 percent body fat at the Combine. Has a 32½-inch vertical jump.
Summary: Squatty, competitive zone corner who lacks ideal measurables and will always have limitations but is a tough, instinctive ballhawk who fits best playing the boundary in a cover-2 defense. Ball skills noticeably stood out at the Senior Bowl - compares favorably to Nathan Vasher.
NFL projection: Fourth- to fifth-round pick.
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