Wide Receiver Marcus Burke Signs With the Florida Gators
Vertical threat wide receiver Marcus Burke, of Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) has signed his national letter of intent and is now officially a Florida Gator.
Burke was originally offered by Florida last September, his first offer according to his Twitter page. Burke visited UF for March's junior day event, where he named the Gators his leading school before taking a step back, releasing a top schools list of UF, Georgia, Penn State, Miami, and Georgia Tech, and proceeding to commit to Florida on Jul. 20. He's never wavered and claims his recruitment has been shut down ever since.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound prospect has development ahead of him to turn into a complete wide receiver, but his ability as a vertical threat to take the top of defenses and create explosive plays with his speed is special. He profiles as a boundary receiver who has no issue separating from defensive backs on the vertical stem and often wins in contested-catch situations.
Below, you can find some of Burke's Sports Illustrated All-American scouting report. You can welcome him to Florida by following him on Twitter here.
Instincts: Great timing to reach for the football during jump-ball situations. Sets up cuts to maneuver past defenders within tight space. Catches the football away from his body. Knows when to hit the jets and simply outrun defenders.
Bottom Line: Burke could end up being a college No. 1 wide receiver once he matures physically. He provides speed, really good short-area playmaking skills, knows how to stem his pass routes, displays playmaking skills during one-on-one situations and makes defenders miss.