49ers 2019 NFL Draft prospect profile: EDGE Brian Burns

The San Francisco 49ers are likely going to add an edge rusher early with their first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. But if they trade down, Florida State’s Brian Burns could be the guy to watch.

While most mock NFL Drafts have the San Francisco 49ers grabbing Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa with the No. 2 overall pick, it’s not out of the question to consider general manager John Lynch trading out of that spot in an attempt to grab even more draft capital.

After all, the Niners currently just have six picks, while this year’s NFL Draft is awfully deep with outside pass-rushers.

And one to watch is Florida State’s Brian Burns.

Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller ranked Burns the No. 16 overall prospect on his big board last February. And that was before Burns’ impressive efforts at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran a blazing 4.53 40-yard time (that’s wide receiver speed) and also showcased some agility with an astounding 7.01 time in the three-cone drill.

All after adding an additional 15 pounds on top of his collegiate 235-pound playing weight.

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Generated 3/21/2019.

One could argue Burns is the best pure pass-rusher in this year’s NFL Draft. While not anywhere as well-rounded as Bosa, Burns’ upside is more than enough for a team like the 49ers to be comfortable trading down and grabbing him.

If they do, here’s the kind of prospect they’ll be getting.

Brian Burns’ Strengths

Burns’ sheer speed is already well known. But what’s good to know is that speed also translates over to when the pads are on.

He’s explosive, epitomizing the new-era kind of NFL pass-rusher, relying less on size and strength and more on burst and acceleration. Burns does this by either getting around offensive tackles or cutting back to the inside, both of which were done with regularity at Florida State.

You can get an idea by watching the video below:

One of the best things standing out is his bend, which combines that speed and acceleration to make Burns one of the more prolific outside rushers in this year’s NFL Draft.

If given space, Burns is more than adept converging on even the most mobile quarterbacks in the pocket. And his make-up speed is truly fun to watch.

Brian Burns’ Weaknesses

Adding some additional playing weight certainly helped alleviate concerns about Burns being too small for the regular rigors of three-down edge defenders. The problem, though, is there isn’t too much more bulk Burns can add without seriously cutting into his best attribute: strength.

And while that speed and bend is good enough to get around average NFL-level offensive tackles, he could run into some problems with more mobile blockers at the next level, especially if they can overpower him at the point of attack.

On top of that, Burns isn’t the truest tackler out there and could be something of a liability in run defense, limiting him to more of a pass-rushing role only.

It will also be interesting to see how well he plays in crowded spaces, too. Particularly against paired blocks and chips.

Potential Fit with the 49ers

The 49ers’ acquisition of edge rusher Dee Ford seems to have solved the defense’s need for a weak-side pass rush.

That’s where Lynch envisions Ford playing this season, which is also the spot where Burns would likely thrive. Granted, Florida State placed Burns on both sides of its defensive line, and he had success in both spots. But the inability to power over blockers could limit him to a weak-side rusher role only, particularly when there are often extra blockers and crowded spaces on the opposite side.

The good news, though? Ford is more than adept playing the strong-side spot.

Either way, Burns is the kind of player who epitomizes an elite-level speed rush, which has become so crucial in today’s pass-often NFL.

If the Niners elect to trade down, it wouldn’t be a shock at all to see Burns as the primary target.