Clemson signee analysis: 5-star DL Vic Burley

Vic Burley is one of two expected 5-star rated signees on the D-line Wednesday.

by TigerNet Staff - Wed Dec 21 07:40:28 GMT-04:00 2022

Vic Burley - Defensive Line
TigerNet: (4.56)

Height: 6-5 Weight: 276 Hometown: Warner Robins, GA (Warner Robins HS) Class: 2023

ESPN:

#71 Overall, #7 DT, #4 GA

Rivals:

#87 Overall, #11 DE, #5 GA

24/7:

#32 Overall, #3 DL, #2 GA

Clemson picked up one of the top-rated defensive linemen in the nation out of the Peach State.

More on Warner Robins (Ga.) defensive lineman Vic Burley…

Signee analysis: Vic Burley - 5-star DL - Warner Robins, Ga.

Committed since: 6/15/22.

Listed size: 6-5 276.

Early Enrollee

Notable: Burley is rated as high as the No. 2 defensive lineman in the nation (247Sports). 247Sports projects him as a future NFL first-round pick. He tallied 54 tackles, 14 TFL, five sacks, and one force fumble as a junior and 59 tackles, 22 TFL, 11 sacks and two fumble recoveries as a sophomore. Burley also reported offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M among more FBS schools before committing to Clemson.

Nick Eason on Burley: "When I think about Vic, obviously you think about size. Standing at 6-5, 310 -- long arms, big lower body. Has a frame. He's going to be a big, dominant defensive lineman. He's going to look great coming off the bus, but when you watch the tape, he is a physical football player. Big plays all across the board..."

Quotable: “Big-bodied interior defender with broad build and above average length. Big already but still owns more bulking capacity if desired. Uses good pad level at the POA (point of attack) when coming off the ball, which fosters leverage to also control the blocker upon contact. Plays with strong hands and a powerful punch. Does a good job when angling or stunting into the gap, getting skinny then getting back square, while steadily gaining ground upfield. Owns valuable two-way snaps, including sizable portion of H-back reps, primarily as a devastating blocker. Bolsters athletic profile with past experience in basketball and impressive throws data, including 150+ discus and 50+ shot numbers. Adequate production throughout high school career, though senior counting stats dipped a bit. Likely more run-stuffing keystone than playmaking pass rusher in the long run. Can play either end position in a four-down front or play the 4-technique in an odd-front defense. Can move into the 3-technique position on pass rush downs all the while staying at end on first and second down. Combination of size, length, and natural talent provides a player able to do many different things on the defensive line. Continued physical development will ultimately determine long-term position fit.” - 247Sports analyst Chris Singletary on Burley (source).

Depth chart fit: The Burley profile seems to fit the mold of versatile defensive linemen over the years to wear Orange and White, which could see him move around similar to Bryan Bresee, Christian Wilkins or even a Myles Murphy. He is in a Clemson 2023 class with some more top D-linemen who are versatile as well in what’s likely the top D-line class in the nation. It’s an interesting spot where we don’t exactly know the whole picture of who’s leaving and staying, but it appears there will be some instant-impact additions here.

Clemson bio

Rankings: Consensus top-80 national player from the nation’s largest recruiting services … listed as the No. 18 overall player in the nation by 247Sports, which also listed him as the second-best defensive tackle and second-best player in Georgia … Clemson’s highest-rated player in its 2023 class according to 247Sports … ranked 39th in Sports Illustrated’s SI99 for 2023 … five-star recruit according to PrepStar, which ranked him as the No. 41 overall player in the nation, the third-best player in Georgia and the fifth-best defensive tackle in the nation … ranked by Rivals as the nation’s No. 69 player, the third-best player in Georgia and the No. 8 defensive tackle in the nation … ESPN.com ranked him as the nation’s No. 76 overall player, fifth-best in the state of Georgia and the No. 7 defensive tackle … ranked as the No. 120 player in the nation by On3, which ranked him as the ninth-best player in Georgia and 14th-best defensive tackle in the nation.

In High School: Earned 5A Defensive Player of the Year honors in Georgia … preseason Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 selection … helped Warner Robins to state championships in his sophomore and junior seasons and a state championship berth as a senior … played 47 career games at Warner Robins, producing 188 tackles and 55 tackles for loss, including 22 sacks for -111 yards … recorded an incredible 138 quarterback hurries … as a senior, helped coach Marquis Westbrook’s team to a 10-5 record, rebounding from a 1-4 start to earn a state championship appearance … had three tackles for loss against both Houston County and Jenkins … had season-high eight tackles in win over Cartersville … credited with eight quarterback hurries in two different games … finished 2022 with 57 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks, and also saw some time at tight end, adding three catches for 52 yards and two scores … as a junior in 2021, had 54 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss with five sacks … had career-best 53 quarterback hurries for the season … recorded 13 hurries vs. Jones County … helped team to 12-1 record and a state title … posted four tackles for loss and seven tackles in win over Creekside … had career-high 59 tackles in 13 games in 2020 … posted 22 tackles for loss with 11 sacks and added 46 hurries … recorded 10 sacks in first six games of the year … posted three tackles for loss in five of the first six games … notched four tackles for loss vs. Lee County … second-team all-state according to MaxPreps as a sophomore in 2020 as he helped his team to a 13-1 record and a state title … invited to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

Personal: Committed to Clemson on June 5, 2022 … born Jan. 5, 2005 … cousin of Clemson Defensive Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Tackles Coach Nick Eason … expected to enroll at Clemson in January 2023.