Kentucky '21 KY OL - Jager Burton (Kentucky Verbal)

Rivals.com
24/7Sports

Offensive guard
6'4''|270 lbs
CLASS OF 2021

Ohio State has offered.

 

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Check out Jager Burton - '18 Soph Highlights by Jager Burton on @hudl https://t.co/a93ndo3dR3 #hudl

— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) May 11, 2019

 

Jager Burton wasn't expecting an Ohio State offer already
Kentucky offensive tackle Jager Burton didn’t think he was going to get an offer equal to an Ohio State offer until later in his recruiting process. He had received offers from Duke, Kentucky, Louisville and others, but a top Power Five program offering him this early in the 2021 cycle didn’t seem to line up with the path that his teammate, Clemson four-star offensive tackle commit Walker Parks, took.


But last week, his head coach pulled him into his office to give him the news of his Ohio State offer.

“He sat me down and told me about how all my hard work is being noticed and that The Ohio State University was going to offer me,” Burton told Eleven Warriors. “I was in shock about it almost all day.”

Ohio State had made it down to Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington a few times since Burton has been recruited. The Buckeyes wanted to see both Burton (No. 10 2021 offensive guard) and Parks (No. 18 2020 offensive tackle) on their trips, and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa and special teams coordinator/co-secondary coach Matt Barnes stayed in contact with the school since then.

Burton said the offer wasn’t necessarily a dream offer but that Ohio State is certainly an interest of his.

“It’s a surreal feeling because of how big a program Ohio State is,” Burton said. “And that they have the opportunity every year to win the national championship means a ton to me.”

Ohio State likes the fact that Burton has good grades and that he can work in open space, the lineman said. They also told him that they like his knowledge of the game, and he believes programs appreciate his ability to block the run, make plays down the field and his athleticism at 6-foot-3, 271 pounds.

 

#Clemson the latest to offer Lexington (Ky.) Douglass 2021 OL Jager Burton: https://t.co/GYhP0XJMWX https://t.co/CY5cd7QA9n

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) June 6, 2019

 

Clemson a leading contender for 2021 OL Jager Burton, who added an offer from "the hardest school in the country to earn an offer from" last week after a strong camp performance: https://t.co/rD4F43995x

— Anna Adams (@AnnaH247) June 11, 2019

 

Jager Burton finds success at Ohio State's one-day camp
Kentucky offensive guard Jager Burton was “in shock” after his head coach at Frederick Douglass told him Ohio State was offering in May. One month later, Burton attended Ohio State’s one-day camp June 15 and didn’t lose a rep. It was one of his best camp performances he’s ever had, he said.

“It was awesome,” Burton told Eleven Warriors on Sunday. “I had an amazing time.”

Burton, rated as the No. 2 2021 Kentucky prospect and as the No. 14 offensive guard in the class, is the teammate of Clemson tackle commit Walker Parks and said he wasn’t expecting an offer the likes of Ohio State until later in his recruitment.

He got that offer, though, and in his first experience with Ohio State in a coach-player setting, he said the Buckeyes have moved even higher for him in interest level.

“Well, before the coaches offered me, I had already signed up, so I figured it would be a good experience to get coached by Coach (Greg Studrawa) and see how they coach,” Burton said. “I also think it helped in the way of they moved up a lot for me in interest level, and I moved up for them in interest level.”

 

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Kentucky star Jager Burton very high on Ohio State
It’s early in his recruitment, but it seems the Buckeyes have done about as well as they could’ve to this point with Kentucky 2021 lineman Jager Burton.

Kentucky’s second-ranked 2021 prospect, Burton was offered by Ohio State in May and camped with the program in June, earning praise from Greg Studrawa for his effort there. That praise was reciprocated.

“Me and Coach Stud get along really well,” Burton told Lettermen Row. “I love his coaching style and how he’s developing linemen at Ohio State. The Buckeyes are definitely one of my top schools right now, and I have kept in contact with Coach Stud a good amount considering I have to call and catch him at the right times to talk.”

Those conversations are leading to discussions about the next visit to Columbus for Burton. He believes that date is locked in.

“I am for sure going to the Ohio State game against Penn State,” he said. “I’m hoping to decide before my senior football season, so I’ve got to go see everywhere I’m interested in. Clemson, Kentucky, Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas, Florida State, Louisville and Oregon.

“I wouldn’t say I’m nearing that point [of committing] yet, but this next round of visits is more to figure out what my top schools are. Then make my decision sooner rather than later.”

The country’s eighth-ranked offensive guard has offers from 16 schools at this point.

 

Jager Burton Plans to Visit Columbus in November
Kentucky offensive guard Jager Burton is emerging as one of Ohio State’s top targets along the offensive line in the 2021 class, and the interest is mutual. He made his way to Columbus in June to get in some work with Greg Studrawa during a one-day camp and said it was one of his best camp performances of 2019.

Now he has a date set for a return trip to Ohio State.

“I might get on campus earlier but the one set up for now is the visit to the game against Penn State (Nov. 23),” Burton told Eleven Warriors.

After he received his offer in the spring and then attended the summer camp, Burton is still in regular contact with Ohio State. He calls the staff about once per week, until Sept. 1, when coaches can contact 2021 prospectus electronically.

While Burton said Ohio State is “one of (his) top schools,” he also wants to make more educated decisions regarding his recruitment after this football season is over and he has made more visits.

“I think this next recruiting part, going to games and seeing those atmospheres, will play a big part in me limiting down where I want to go,” Burton said.

Burton is teammates with Clemson offensive line commit Walker Parks, who will be on his way to play for the Tigers after the 2019 season. Burton said he already has a leadership role on the team, along with Parks, but once Parks leaves, he will need to take that role on at another level. That’s what he is using 2019 to prepare himself for.

But more than anything, Burton said he and his teammates want to win state after going undefeated during the regular season in 2018 and suffering an early-postseason exit.

The Nov. 23 weekend is shaping up to be a big recruiting weekend for Ohio State, as, in addition to Burton, cornerbacks Elias Ricks and Jaiden Francois are also planning to make crucial visits to Columbus that weekend.

 

Jager Burton talks to Ohio State more than any other school
It’s hard to know exactly what players are legitimately major targets for a program like Ohio State this early in a recruiting cycle, because there are numerous names to know, listen to and watch. But there’s one fairly consistent barometer when it comes to deciphering the code: Are the Buckeyes really reaching out?

They appear to be reaching out quite a bit to Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass 4-star offensive guard Jager Burton. We last talked about the top-ranked prospect in the Bluegrass State about a month ago, and he said then he’ll return to Ohio State for a visit in November when the Buckeyes host Penn State. That remains the case, but the relationship between Burton and the coaching staff in Columbus has taken off.

“We talk almost every day,” the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Burton told Lettermen Row. “Me, [offensive line coach Greg] Studrawa, [wide receivers coach Brian] Hartline, [assistant offensive line coach Kennedy] Cook and Ryan Day. I would say I talk to Ohio State more than any other school right now.”

It’s not just Burton hearing from the Buckeyes, either. His family is talking to the Ohio State staff also.

“My dad talks to them too, and so does my mom sometimes,” Burton said. “It’s really awesome how much they reach out. They definitely make me feel important.”

Burton has offers from 18 schools at this point, including Alabama and Clemson. He’s visited the Tigers and hometown Kentucky already this season, and he is set to trip to Penn State in early October.

 

Top247 2021 OL Jager Burton left #PennState feeling like a major priority on Saturday and gives the highlights from his return to the #NittanyLions campus: https://t.co/Y7diyjmEHC @seanfitz247 @TDsTake

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) October 6, 2019

 

2021 #Rivals250 OL Jager Burton has been busy on the visit circuit and will be at Alabama this weekend.

But which schools are doing the best job of recruiting him right now?

He says Oregon, Kentucky, Penn State and Ohio State.

Full story here: https://t.co/d2hz8fnQIv pic.twitter.com/vLNnJ41tFL

— Woody Wommack (@RivalsWoody) November 7, 2019

 

Jager Burton sorting through list of recruiting priorities
Ohio State has been a favorite for Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass offensive lineman Jager Burton for a while. And the Buckeyes did nothing to hurt their standing with the 4-star 2021 offensive lineman as he and his family visited last weekend.

“It went great,” Burton, the nation’s fifth-ranked offensive guard, told Lettermen Row. “I will be taking an official visit to Ohio State. The coaches really stood out. It was one of my favorite visits.”

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound lineman has been to Penn State, Clemson, Oregon and Alabama this season as he searches for the right fit for his college future. The Buckeyes coaching staff, as mentioned, continued their work of proving how highly they prioritize Kentucky’s top-ranked junior.


Kentucky lineman Jager Burton during his visit Ohio State for the Penn State game in 2019. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

“I got to see [Ryan] Day before the game and for a little after,” Burton said. “But I hung out with Coach [Studrawa] for a while. When Coach Day took the time to talk to me and my family before a game of that size, that really just shows how important I am to them.”

The question from here is how important is Ohio State to Burton. He’s ready to focus on making a decision from here, but that one isn’t imminent because there are official visits to take.

“I’m going to take five officials, but only three are planned,” he said. “I’ve had a list of the things that are most important to me through all of this, so I’m just gonna sit down and see which schools check the most boxes. I’m ready to get my officials done and commit.”

 

4-star offensive lineman @jager_burton includes the #Buckeyes in his top 7 (FREE)https://t.co/WIohIJ8mXx pic.twitter.com/fcfm1o1Jhr

— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) January 1, 2020

 

Ohio State makes final cut for Jager Burton
Over the last week or so, a number of Ohio State targets made small announcements about their recruitments. Most of them are inconsequential in the big picture of things. But there’s no doubt that the Buckeyes are very serious about Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass offensive lineman Jager Burton, so he’s worth mentioning here.

Now, the question of what makes a top-school list official versus unofficial is worth asking. But either way, when it comes to Burton, Ohio State is going to be on the list.

The Buckeyes are one of three programs that Burton knows will receive an official visit, along with Penn State and Oregon. But there are no dates set for anything of that nature yet. Buckeyes offensive line coach Greg Studrawa and Ryan Day have been very involved in the recruitment of Burton for months, and he’s begun building a solid relationship with 2021 commitment Ben Christman and a host of offensive line targets who visited campus in late November when Burton did.

There’s a lot of time left for other schools to make hay in the recruitment of Jager Burton, but the Buckeyes are in a very good position heading into the next few months. A decision timeline hasn’t been specified. But when the official visits begin, it’s wise to expect a decision shortly thereafter.

 

Jager Burton has emerged over the last couple of months as one of Ohio State’s highly prized 2021 offensive line targets, and the Buckeyes are showing that in their full-force recruiting of him.

That approach is certainly leaving an impression on Kentucky’s top-ranked junior prospect, an athletic 6-foot-4, 270-pound offensive guard ranked No. 6 nationally at the position and rated as a top-200 recruit in America.

Burton is down to seven schools – Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Kentucky, Alabama, Clemson and Texas. All of those programs have been showing plenty of love to Burton, he tells Eleven Warriors, but there’s something about the Buckeyes that’s been different, and it’s making a heavy impact on him.

“Ohio State’s probably the school – or one of the schools – that contacts me the most,” Burton said. “Almost their whole coaching staff texts me every day – Coach (Ryan) Day, Coach (Greg Studrawa), Coach (Kennedy) Cook, Coach (Matt) Barnes – we have full-on conversations like all day while I’m at school.

“I would say I have that type of contact with a lot of schools, especially that seven, but the thing about Ohio State is it’s not just my position coach texting me. It’s not just Coach Stud texting me. Coach Day, Coach Barnes and Coach Cook, all those people text me. That’s just different. Obviously, the head coach of those schools texts me, and I call them sometimes. But it’s not as much every day talking to them. It’s more of a rare thing. But with Coach Day, it’s more of a normal deal.”

There are plenty of other prospects who are receiving similar recruiting treatment from the Buckeyes. That’s one of the reasons this new coaching staff is gaining a strong reputation on the recruiting trail and leaving its mark on so many of the targets whom Eleven Warriors has spoken with over the past few months.

But one of the reasons Day has chosen Burton as one to give the kitchen-sink approach is because of a tremendous value Burton would bring in the Buckeyes’ 2021 class.

Burton camped with Ohio State in June 2018 heading into his sophomore year and barely got any attention. He spoke with the coaching staff very briefly afterward, but he left campus the same way he came in – without an offer. He had yet to be offered by any major program to that point.

But fast forward almost a year later, and Burton got that Ohio State offer shortly before he returned for his second summer camp in Columbus in June 2019. It was there when Burton left a lasting impression on Studrawa, and Burton’s recruitment gained steam.

Studrawa and Day saw the athleticism, lateral quickness and burst that make him a perfect fit for their system.

“I went to camp there in the summer and just seeing the place from more of a recruiting perspective rather than just being there,” Burton said. “And I don’t think I lost a single one-on-one rep when I was there. That was probably the best camp I’d ever done. I think we both kind of realized that I was legit and that they would really want me to go there.

“It was just a really good day for me, and I was really happy. I guess I picked the right day for it to happen. At O-line and D-line, it’s hard to not lose a rep just because you can do everything right and still lose, sometimes, with no pads on. That was one of my favorite camps I went to.”

Burton would be a great piece for Ohio State in this 2021 class that is continuing to build momentum and looks to be heading toward something special. Ben Christman and Donovan Jackson are about as good of a one-two start as you’re going to find in this class, while Burton, JC Latham, Rocco Spindler and Tristan Leigh are all terrific recruits the Buckeyes are pursuing.

At quarterback or running back, spots come at a premium. When a program gets a commitment from a highly ranked player at each position, it often seals the deal as other targets look elsewhere. That’s far from the case at offensive line, and despite Jackson’s commitment on Wednesday, Burton says that decision “doesn’t turn me off from Ohio State. I would say it kind of makes me wanna go there more.

“Ben will probably play tackle, and I can honestly play wherever. Just playing beside those guys would be awesome, especially with a lot of those other linemen that are in the class in front of us – Paris and all those guys. That would be an awesome chance to be able to play with all those guys.”

Christman and Jackson bring versatility to the table, and no matter where he goes, Burton will bring that too. He’ll almost certainly be a guard at the next level, but he’s learning how to snap right now in case a move to center is called for. A move to tackle could also happen, though that would probably require a small growth spurt.

No matter where he plays and for what school, Burton plans to make a decision before the start of his senior year or right at the beginning of it. He plans on making a decision after his official visits are complete. He has four of his five official visits planned right now. He told Eleven Warriors he will be taking one to Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and Kentucky, and he will eventually make a decision on whether Alabama, Clemson or Texas gets the last one.

 

5. JAGER BURTON, OG
The argument for JC Latham being in this slot is just as reasonable, which is why I had such a hard time deciding between the two.

But in the end, I chose Burton for two reasons:

1. His athleticism and the way he's able to move so effortlessly on the line is absolutely perfect for how the Buckeyes want to use their linemen and for the way they game plan. (Assuming they get the type of running back talent they need in 2021 and are able to stay with that type of running strategy, and if they don't end up going toward a more pass-heavy approach with the QB/WR talent they will have, which is possible.)
2. In projecting what Ohio State's future offensive line could look like, it's very possible that at some point it will be Paris Johnson Jr. (LT), Donovan Jackson (LG), Luke Wypler (C), RG, Ben Christman (RT). While Christman does look like he could project to be a Branden Bowen type (a.k.a. someone who could be called upon to fill either the right tackle or right guard spot seamlessly), currently right tackle is where he will fit best at, leaving the right guard spot open. I think Burton fits that spot perfectly.

RELATED The Hurry-Up: Jager Burton Another Top-Rated Guard the Buckeyes Are Recruiting with Full-Court Press, Big Recruiting Weekend Set for April 11

From Burton: “Ohio State’s probably the school – or one of the schools – that contacts me the most. Almost their whole coaching staff texts me every day – Coach (Ryan) Day, Coach (Greg Studrawa), Coach (Kennedy) Cook, Coach (Matt) Barnes – we have full-on conversations like all day while I’m at school.

“I would say I have that type of contact with a lot of schools, especially that seven (Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Kentucky, Clemson, Alabama and Texas), but the thing about Ohio State is it’s not just my position coach texting me. It’s not just Coach Stud texting me. Coach Day, Coach Barnes and Coach Cook, all those people text me. That’s just different. Obviously, the head coach of those schools texts me, and I call them sometimes. But it’s not as much every day talking to them. It’s more of a rare thing. But with Coach Day, it’s more of a normal deal.”

Others in serious contention: Kentucky, Penn State, Oregon ... Burton narrowed his list down to seven schools, and he told Eleven Warriors that he'll be officially visiting Ohio State, Kentucky, Penn State and Oregon, with either Texas, Alabama or Clemson getting the fifth. Ohio State is in a good position here.

Other high-caliber targets:Latham, Tristan Leigh, Rocco Spindler

 

Check out Junior Year Highlights- Jager Burton by Jager Burton on @hudl https://t.co/2L6cRVNfYD #hudl

— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) January 25, 2020