No. 1 CA TE @keyan_burnett Still Looking for a Home
One of the biggest pieces of news in college football recruiting this summer revolved around Servite HS tight end Keyan Burnett. The 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound Burnett is the No. 1 tight end prospect in the state and had committed to USC earlier this year.
Just last week, Burnett decommitted from the Trojans and opened his recruiting process back up. He was very respectful and appreciative of the USC staff, but decided against the Trojans as his destination for the next three to five years.
Now, Burnett is searching for a new destination. It shouldn’t be too hard to find as the Servite star holds offers from nearly the entire Pac-12 as well as several other major FBS programs around the country.
The Modern TE
What makes Burnett so desirable is that he fits the mold of the modern tight end. Think Travis Kelce or even the lesser-known Darren Waller of the Raiders.
The modern tight end is a hybrid of sorts. He’s part wide receiver, part running back, as well as part offensive lineman. The prototypical NFL tight end is in the 6-5 to 6-6 range, carries at least 250 pounds and is athletic enough to get open and beat linebackers and safeties down the field.
Burnett checks all those boxes. He’s got an NFL-ready body at 6-5 and 220 pounds. He can easily add weight to his frame and his receiving skills are outstanding. Take the catch below from a 7-on-7 competition. You won’t see too many grabs this good.
Burnett, who played at JSerra during the 2019-20 season, is athletic and very skilled as a receiver. You can see it in these highlights.
USC
Burnett originally committed to USC back in March of this year. He loved the coaching staff and seemed to be 100 percent Trojans, that is until he took an early June visit to Arizona.
Part of the issue with USC is that Burnett felt that the program might not be the best fit for him. When recruiting him, the Trojans offensive staff looked at the Servite TE as more a of a Drake London-type player.
London, who hails from Moorpark HS, is similar in size to Burnett but is used more as a wide receiver in the Trojans Air Raid offense. Burnett sees himself with some added weight in the role of a more traditional, modern tight end. That likely would not happen at USC.
It can happen at Arizona where new head coach Jedd Fisch has installed a pro-style offensive attack. Fisch is a former New England Patriots offensive coordinator. Burnett wants to play in a pro-style offense, which is part of the draw to Arizona.
Wildcats Roots
Burnett’s father, Chester, was a linebacker at Arizona in the mid-1990s. He played on the old Desert Swarm defenses under Wildcats head coach Dick Tomey. The elder Burnett was a seventh-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings back in 1998. He went on to play three years in the league.
His father isn’t the only tie to Arizona. Burnett’s teammate, Servite QB Noah Fifita, is also a Wildcats commit. Fifita is a three-star dual-threat quarterback who committed to Arizona in June. He would make a Burnett commitment to the Wildcats a little easier.
In the above clip where Burnett makes that spectacular catch in a 7-on-7 tournament, Fifita was the quarterback who made the throw. Here’s another angle.
No Hurry
Burnett is in no hurry to make a commitment. He will likely visit Arizona again in July. It appears teh Wildcats will have the inside track on getting a commitment from Burnett. With his father’s roots plus his quarterback and possibly his WR teammate Tetairoa McMillan (6-3, 185) both headed to Arizona, an announcement might be on the horizon.
For now, Burnett will keep searching for his college home.
