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football Edit

Burns is a Buckeye

A late flip from Louisville, DB Rodjay Burns was a big late addition to the Buckeye recruiting class. The Kentucky native provides length and talent in the defensive secondary.

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Rodjay Burns could be a lock-down corner or rangy safety
Rodjay Burns could be a lock-down corner or rangy safety (Rivals Camp Series)

Ohio State flipped former Louisville commit and three-star athlete Rodjay Burns out of Louisville (Ky.) late in the recruiting process and he'll be a big addition to the defensive secondary. The Kentucky native was sold on the academics at Ohio State in addition to the football opportunities when making his decision.

"They were really talking a lot about how the football program is ran. They talked a lot about how the school is and how they coach. My favorite part was just how I talked to the Dean about the medical field," Burns said.

So after his late addition to the Ohio State class, will where Burns fit in on the field?

"At 6-foot-2 with long arms, Burns has the size and frame to project anywhere in the secondary but possesses enough cover skills that he is not going to be a liability in coverage if opposing offenses try to isolate him on a slot receiver," said BuckeyeGrove.com recruiting analyst Marc Givler. "Burns' size and closing speed also allow him to make a lot of plays in run support and his film shows a willing tackler.

"As he fills out and gets stronger he should be able to hold up better when he has to come up in the box and make a play going north and south, but for the time being, his athleticism allows him to make a lot of plays going sideline-to-sideline. Ultimately I see Burns as a safety at Ohio State in the Tyvis Powell mold in terms of a big, athletic player with some experience in coverage."

Burns was a late flip from Louisville
Burns was a late flip from Louisville

Burns is rated as a three-star athlete by Rivals.com and checks in at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. He selected Ohio State over offers from Louisville and Cincinnati and the Buckeyes had to fend off a late push from the Cardinals to try and flip Burns back into the class.

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