Could DJ Burns Jr. go from the block to the blindside?
With yet another dominant March Madness performance, the Rock Hill, S.C. native and North Carolina State University star is continuing to take the nation by storm. His 29-point Easter outing led the Wolfpack past the ACC rival Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA tournament’s Elite Eight round, helping give the program their first Final Four appearance since 1983.
But Burns isn’t only grabbing the attention of the basketball world. According to Fox Sports senior national writer Peter Schrager, the 6-foot-9, 275-pound forward has NFL scouts and general managers thinking a little bit outside the box . . .
Spoke to and texted multiple scouts/GMs about NC State big man DJ Burns as an NFL OT prospect over the last 24 hours.He is listed at 6’9, but probably is 6’7. A+ footwork. Would get big turnout & potentially $ if he participated in a Pro Day/workout the week after the Final 4. pic.twitter.com/zxyufktHeC
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) April 1, 2024
This wouldn’t be the first time a local college athlete made the Final Four while football came calling. Remember that kid named Julius Peppers?
While football was obviously on the forefront for the standout defensive end, Peppers was a reserve for the University of North Carolina’s Final Four squad in 1999. The Wilson, N.C. boy only went on to become a unanimous All-American, a second overall pick, a nine-time Pro Bowler and a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
So even though Burns would have a different road to the NFL, it seems to be an open one.
