Michigan Commit Film Study: Ja'Den McBurrows
Last month, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas three-star cornerback Ja’Den McBurrows committed to Michigan in what was a strong six-week recruiting stretch for the Wolverines.
Playing for one of the premiere teams in the state of Florida, McBurrows faces quality competition each day in practice and each week during the football season, but does he possess the skill set and athletic tools to make an impact at the Big Ten level?
In coverage, McBurrows was asked to play quite a bit of man coverage last year, and the 5-10, 175-pounder prides himself on his ability to do so. McBurrows shows a smooth back pedal and hip fluidity on tape, two areas that help the U-M commit stick with receivers downfield.
En route to snagging six interceptions during the 2019 season, McBurrows capitalized on his speed and instinctive nature by reading quarterbacks’ eyes and breaking quickly on the football. McBurrows has excellent timing and uses that trait to deflect passes if he can’t get two hands on the football for an interception.
But McBurrows offers more than just coverage skills. Out of those six picks, McBurrows was able to return four to the house for touchdowns, and he added two kickoff return touchdowns as well, proving that he is a dangerous runner with the ball in his hands.
However, listed at just 175 pounds, McBurrows will need to tack on a bit more mass before finding the field in college. In run support, McBurrows is a willing tackler, but that area of the game is not necessarily his forte. But with a strong sense of timing, McBurrows does peel off his receiver and attack the ball carrier quickly on rushing plays, so he has a tendency to show up in the right place at the right time regardless of his slight frame.
After coaching McBurrows for the duration of his junior campaign, St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Roger Harriott shared his perspective on what the Michigan commit can add to his future team.
“Ja’Den is an extremely talented player and an even better person,” Harriott told Wolverine Digest. “From a football standpoint, he’s a student of the game with elite football acumen and great instincts between the whistle. On defense he can shut down an entire side of the field and is also a dynamic returner on special teams.”
When he eventually arrives in Ann Arbor, McBurrows is expected to serve time both as an outside cornerback but also inside as a nickelback that would be asked to cover speedy athletes out of the slot. The nickel role could be the perfect fit for a speedy, playmaking athlete that needs to add a bit of weight as he continues to develop.
“When I get to Ann Arbor, they should expect a lot of speed and a lot of physicality in my style of play,” McBurrows told Wolverine Digest. “I am a great man-to-man corner.”
With his senior season ahead, McBurrows is working to round out his game to provide a better fit in Ann Arbor. Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary have stayed in touch with the three-star prospect and have worked to provide feedback on which areas he should concentrate on the most.
From a film standpoint, McBurrows has watched a lot of tape on former Michigan great Charles Woodson, and he is using that influence to help shape his game on the football field.
Where do you see McBurrows making the biggest impact at on the field? Is he a perfect fit at nickelback or does he have the makings of a future lockdown outside corner? Let us know!
