Jager Burton is ‘unique to his peers.’ And he’s going to be a Kentucky Wildcat.
Jager Burton, the state’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2021, has committed to the University of Kentucky football program.
Burton, a 6-foot-4, 271-pound offensive guard at Frederick Douglass High School, chose the Wildcats during a commitment ceremony held Sunday evening at KSBar and Grille, a local sports bar within earshot of UK’s campus.
Both 247Sports and Rivals rate Burton as a top-10 player at his position and a four-star prospect. He’s rated No. 3 at guard and No. 59 overall nationally by 247Sports while Rivals ranks him No. 8 at guard and 170th in the country regardless of position.
Based on 247Sports’ current composite rating (.9441), Burton would be the seventh highest rated recruit to sign with Kentucky since 2000 and the top in-state recruit to do so since Landon Young (rated .9631) did so in 2016. Kentucky under Stoops has only signed the state’s top-rated recruit one other time, in 2014 (Drew Barker). It briefly had the commitment of Wan’Dale Robinson in 2019, but the Western Hills star ultimately signed with Nebraska
Burton chose Kentucky from a final five that also consisted of Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oregon.
Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports’ director of recruiting, believes Burton’s athleticism and football IQ could make him capable of contributing right away in the Southeastern Conference.
“We’ll see where his weight’s at,” Wiltfong told the Herald-Leader. “He’s 270-something pounds now, he’ll have to get a little bigger, but he’s got a full year to do so. He’s one of the most athletic offensive linemen in the country. His feet are outstanding, and the way he moves at the point of attack is unique to his peers. He plays with good leverage; he’s a tough, physical football player.”
Douglass, Lexington’s newest high school, opened in 2017 and played in its first state championship game last season. Burton has been a member of its varsity squad since his sophomore season in 2018 and played in 25 games for the Broncos, who are currently assigned to the state’s Class 5A division.
Burton in June accepted an invitation to the All-American Bowl, an annual high school All-Star game televised by NBC in January.
Dekel Crowdus, a teammate at Douglass, is UK’s only other four-star recruit committed for the 2021 cycle. Crowdus is a wide receiver and among the four other Kentuckians who’ve selected the Wildcats. The others are: Somerset quarterback Kaiya Sheron, North Hardin running back La’Vell Wright and North Hardin safety Jordan Lovett.
KENTUCKY’S 2021 COMMITMENTS
In addition to Burton, the following players have announced commitments to UK as part of the 2021 recruiting class:
▪ Wilson Berry, punter (Prokick Australia)
▪ Dekel Crowdus, wide receiver (Frederick Douglass HS, Ky.)
▪ Maxwell Hairston, defensive back (West Bloomfield, Mich.)
▪ Adrian Huey, cornerback (Nashville)
▪ Christian Lewis, wide receiver (Pleasant Grove, Ala.)
▪ Jordan Lovett, defensive back (North Hardin HS, Ky.)
▪ Chauncey Magwood, wide receiver (Leesburg HS, Ga.)
▪ Paul Rodriguez, offensive tackle (William Mason HS, Ohio)
▪ Kahlil Saunders, defensive end (Grissom HS, Ala.)
▪ Armond Scott, wide receiver (Euclid HS, Ohio)
▪ Kaiya Sheron, quarterback (Somerset HS, Ky.)
▪ Martez Thrower, outside linebacker (Rochelle, Ga.)
▪ Joko Willis, linebacker (Independence Community College, Kan.)
▪ David Wohlabaugh, offensive tackle (Walsh Jesuit HS, Ohio)
▪ La’Vell Wright, running back (North Hardin HS, Ky.)
This story was originally published August 30, 2020 at 6:05 PM.
