Rivals' Adam Gorney reports that Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra wide receiver Deontay Burnett flipped his commitment from Washington State to Michigan this afternoon after taking an official visit to Ann Arbor. He told GBW that Michigan's academics were a major reason for the switch in commitments:
“It’s a great place to be,” Burnett told GoBlueWolverine from the airport. “It’s a new coaching staff that would help me develop my game, and the Michigan degree is powerful.”
“The thing that stood out to me the most is the academic department.”
Burnett is the tenth commit in the 2015 class and the second who's expected to end up at receiver, along with in-state athlete Brian Cole.
GURU RATINGS
| Scout | Rivals | ESPN | 247 | 247 Comp |
| 3*, #82 WR | 3*, #59 WR | 3*, 76, #139 WR | 3*, 86, #97 WR |
3*, #85 WR, #688 Ovr |
All four services rank Burnett as a three-star, though there's a bit of a spread as to how good of a three-star he is—Rivals has him up at #59 at his position while ESPN has him way down at #139. They all agree he's got a relatively slight build; his listed size ranges from 5'11, 159 (Rivals) to an oddly specific 6'0.5", 166 (247).
SCOUTING
Burnett was a late bloomer, going from a secondary target on his high school team to one of the better receivers in the West region over the last year. There was good reason for this—as a junior, Burnett played behind five-star athlete Adoree' Jackson (now at USC) and three-star receiver Jordan Lasley (UCLA). Scout's Brandon Huffman recently named him one of the five most improved prospects in the West from year one to year four:
Deontay Burnett - WR - Gardena (Calif.) Serra – Burnett emerged over the spring and summer as one of the top receivers out West. He has excellent quickness getting in and out of his breaks, has down field speed and can be a deep threat at the next level. He's also a natural pass catcher, very smooth in his route running and plays with surprising polish despite not being a full time starter until his senior year. He'll need to add size/strength but the natural ability is all there.
His breakout spring included standout performances at the IMG 7-on-7 West Regional and the B2G Elite Camp, and he capped off his senior year with MVP honors in the West Coast Bowl. Scout's Greg Biggins on Burnett's IMG performance:
Seems like every year, Gardena (Calif.) Serra has a receiver emerge over the spring. Last year it was Jordan Lasley, this year, it's Deontay Burnett. While Burnett may not have Lasley's top end speed, he runs well enough and was getting deep all tournament long. He's a natural pass catcher, a smooth route runner and is poised for a big senior year.
ESPN's evaluation notes his separation ability and ball skills:
Knows how to use his speed. Will change pace and burst to create a step on a defender. Is not only a talented receiver but demonstrates intelligence too. ...
Catches the ball well and naturally. He is comfortable reaching for a throw and also shows an ability to adjust while the ball is in the air. Will twist his body to make a difficult catch look easy.
They aren't as high on his size and think he's more of an intermediate threat than big-play guy due to a lack of top-end speed, though "he can make a defender miss."
Tim Sullivan got the rundown on Burnett from Rivals West analyst Adam Gorney after his commitment today:
"He's kind of wiry and athletic," Gorney said. "He's definitely not a power receiver kind of kid, but he's a kid that you can get the ball in his hands and turn him loose. At the B2G West Coast Bowl last weekend, they tried to get the ball in his hands and let him run He's always going to be that wiry strong kid - never a bulky receiver. He's not weak by any means - cornerbacks don't push him around - he'll put on some weight, but he never fills out that uniform.
"He has very good speed. He can get downfield - a big downfield threat - excellent hands. Once he adds weight, he'll work on consistently being able to bring it and deliver. If he does have a big game, he'll have to get used to it and not rest on his laurels, because he's only had a few big games at the high school level."
Gorney noted that a lack of opportunities as a junior and iffy quarterback play his senior season limited Burnett's exposure.
247's Clint Brewster provided a breakdown of Burnett's film ($):
Burnett is a patient route runner and does a nice job sticking his foot in the ground to get separation. He's good at selling his routes. Burnett is just a tad over 6-foot tall but he's got a long and rangy frame, making his catching radius very wide. He keeps a good relationship with his quarterback in scramble situations and finds a way to slip behind defenders. He's a hands-catcher that makes catches look easy, keeping the ball away from his body. Burnett has good moves and shiftiness after the catch but doesn't have blazing speed my any means. Has a nice hesitation move, and gets up to top speed quickly. He is a long strider that can eat up cushion by cornerbacks in off coverage.
Sullivan caught up with his high school coach, who praised his patience while waiting behind his talented teammates as well as his ability to track the ball:
"Early on, he was a quarterback in our system," Altenberg said. "I think that helped him pick up quickly when he moved out to wideout. The thing about him though, is he's one of the best ball-locators I've seen. He tracks the ball as well as any receiver I've coached. He has a natural gift for that - it's not an easy thing. He probably had five catches this year where he just jumped up and took it away from the guy in coverage, because he knew where it was going to be."
Burnett may not be a top-end prospect due his size and lack of blazing speed, but as a late pickup he's pretty solid—as you'll see on his film, he does a great job of tracking the ball in the air, and he's quick to get off the line and create separation on his routes.
OFFERS
Burnett had offers from Arizona State, Colorado State, Miami (YTM), Utah, and Washington State. He'd been committed to the Cougars since July.
HIGH SCHOOL
Junipero Serra is one of California's top talent-producing high schools, especially at wide receiver. USC has been a major beneficiary—in addition to Jackson, who played both ways as a freshman in 2014, they pulled five-star receivers Robert Woods and George Farmer and four-star Marqise Lee from JS. The school also produced four-star WR Paul Richardson, who excelled at Colorado and will suit up for the Seahawks in tonight's Super Bowl.
STATS
After catching just 12 passes for 186 yards and two TDs as a junior, Burnett tallied 27 receptions for 545 yards and five TDs in 2014, per Rivals.
FAKE 40 TIME
ESPN and 247 both list a 40 time of 4.69, which appears to come from a SPARQ event and therefore gets zero FAKEs out of five.
VIDEO
Senior highlights:
Junior highlights and single-game reels can be found on his Hudl page.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
Burnett should get a chance to redshirt this fall to focus on adding strength and learning the offense; Michigan brings back the entirety of their receiving corps aside from Devin Funchess. Down the road, Burnett looks like a player who could find a role in the slot or on the outside.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
While Michigan is running out of room in the 2015 class—they likely have five open spots at the moment, though that could get up to six or seven—it'll be interesting to see if they take another receiver, as Ole Miss commit Van Jefferson was on campus this weekend and there are rumblings he might want to join up, as well. Other needs include running back, tight end, defensive end, linebacker, and cornerback. TE Chris Clark, CB Iman Marshall, LB Roquan Smith, and RB Mike Weber remain the top targets left on the board.