Kentucky football stopped a distressing trend by signing star lineman Jager Burton
Kentucky’s football program didn’t need to look far to find one of its most prized recruits in the 2021 signing class. It did have to fend off the rest of the nation to keep him home, however.
Jager Burton, a four-star offensive guard out of Frederick Douglass High School, officially signed with the Wildcats during a ceremony at KSBar and Grill on Wednesday. It was the final bow of a recruitment that kicked off several years ago, when Kentucky became the first Southeastern Conference school to extend an offer to Burton.
His signing bucked a four-year trend that saw the state’s top-ranked player leave its borders for other pastures: Jedrick Wills (2017, Alabama), Rondale Moore (2018, Purdue), Wan’Dale Robinson (2019, Nebraska) and Michael Mayer (2020, Notre Dame) all spurned the Wildcats. Landon Young, who signed with Kentucky in 2016, is the last top prospect in the state to remain in it.
UK this time won out over four major players in college football — Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oregon — in part due to proximity and the strides it has made as a program in recent years, but also due to the relationship Burton was able to form with the late John Schlarman, who at a summer camp following his freshman year encouraged Burton to flip from the defensive side of the football to the offensive line. Schlarman’s suggestion helped transform Burton from a sure-fire Division I prospect into one of the most coveted linemen in the 2021 class.
The loss of Schlarman is something that will hurt a long time, for Burton and so many others in and around the program. He tries to focus on the few positives that were experienced through Schlarman’s battle with cancer.
“He survived longer than most people would have and should have, so in a way, I was happy that he got to live as long as he did, but it’s terrible that he died,” Burton said. “… It’s really hard to get over it. I think it’ll be the biggest thing I’ll still have to get over, is all my firsts at UK that he won’t be there, that we had talked about him being there for.”
Ready to play?
Ohio State at one time was projected by 247Sports’ Crystal Ball as the favorite to land Burton’s commitment. Oregon was one of his favorite programs throughout his youth. Alabama is Alabama.
There was no clear No. 2, but Clemson had the advantage of having his best friend, Parks, on its roster. It was difficult to tell the Tigers “no,” but he had to do what was best for himself.
“He’s having a great time and obviously getting to play a lot,” Burton said of Parks, who’s appeared in nine of Clemson’s 10 games as a true freshman. “They have a really good school, so I’m happy for him.”
Burton will enroll in January and believes by next fall he’ll have his body where it needs to be in order to earn playing time. He’s no different from most freshmen in wanting to contribute as soon as possible, but at 6-foot-4, 271 pounds, he’s starting from a great base (that’s 4 pounds lighter than Parks, now 295, was listed as a recruit).
“I also think it helps a lot, with a new o-line coach and new offensive coordinator and all that stuff, everyone’s gonna be kind of starting on the same page I am,” Burton said. “It’s not going to be like normal, where you’re coming in and everyone already knows all the plays, everyone is close with the coaches. It’s going to be a fresh start for everyone. … Everyone’s going to be starting from square one, whether you’re a freshman or a senior. I think that’ll play a part in me being able to get on the field, ‘cause I know I’m going to work as hard as I can to play my first year.”
He likes the fiery personality of newly minted offensive line coach Eric Wolford, and is excited about incoming offensive coordinator Liam Coen, whom UK hired from the Los Angeles Rams’ staff in the past week.
“People say the offense we’re about to move to is 50-50 run-pass, basically, so I’m excited that I’ll get an equal amount of both,” Burton said.
Wolford recruited Burton while he was coaching South Carolina’s offensive line.
“Now he’s coming to the school I’m going to, I guess, instead of me going to the school he’s at, which is kind of weird,” Burton said with a laugh. “I’m really excited for the new changes.”
Sunday
College Football Playoff Selection Show
When: Noon
TV: ESPN
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 8:08 AM.
