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Burrell packs one of the best punches of any high school offensive line recruit.
Matthew Burrell is one of the best offensive linemen in the class of 2015.
Burrell, out of C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, Va., stands 6'4 and weighs in at 305 pounds, and he runs a reported 5.1-second 40-yard dash. As of May, he's rated as a consensus four-star prospect by Scout, Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN. 247 and ESPN list him as a tackle, while Rivals and Scout have him at guard. The 247Sports Composite, a compilation of data from the four major recruiting services, ranks him as the 74th-best player in America, eighth-best tackle and fourth-best player from the state of Virginia.
Burrell is drawing interest from a number of top programs across the country. He currently holds scholarship offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia Tech and Auburn.
What makes Burrell such an in-demand prospect? First, he has college-ready size. Burrell could step in and play well for a number of FBS teams right now without any added time in the weight room.
Let's take a look at his Hudl tape.
There is quite a bit to like about Burrell. The thing that stands out to me is that he is a huge player who plays like a bully. Too often, we see the big guys at the high school level still acclimating to their large size, and not using it effectively. Not Burrell. He throws his weight around in a good way.
Burrell has a few clips in which he explodes out of his stance, rolls his hips and buries defenders. We can talk about the need to do that more often, but the important thing is that he shows the ability to do so. College coaches want to work with a player like Burrell. He is nasty and finishes off his defenders.
Burrell plays tackle in high school, and in pass protection, he sets up, sure of his ability to defend against a bull rush thanks to his size, and delivers a great punch. He does not have the greatest reactive quickness to adjust to defenders who make quick moves to the outside, however, and I wonder if he might be better suited to play guard at the next level. He also is a bit overaggressive blocking in the open field, which causes him to whiff on linebackers and defensive backs more than I would like.
Regardless of whether he ends up at tackle or guard, however, Burrell is an excellent prospect who would fit with any school in the country.
