Five-star DE Brian Burns commits to Florida State over Florida, Georgia

Five-star defensive end Brian Burns committed to Florida State on National Signing Day.

Brian Burns, the No. 22 overall player and the No. 5 defensive end in the recruiting class of 2016, has announced he will go to Florida State.

A 6’ 4”, 218-pound star from American Heritage School in Plantation, Fla., Burns picked the Seminoles over finalists Florida and Georgia. The five-star prospect boasts terrific speed for his size—he was clocked as having run the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds—and was named the Sun Sentinel’s Defensive Player of the Year. He also apparently has a tremendous spin move.

Here’s an analysis of Burns’s game, via Scout.com: “Burns is a rush end who could play standing up or with his hand down on the next level. [He] has a very good first step and is very quick off the ball. [His] speed makes him successful and he closes on the ball very well.”

Burns’s choice bumps Florida State up to No. 5 in Scout.com’s team rankings.

The Seminoles have presented a formidable defense in recent seasons and ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense (17.5 points per game) in 2015. Coach Jimbo Fisher’s crew returns some key pieces in ’16, such as precocious safety Derwin James, and could vault into the thick of College Football Playoff contention. Burns will look to become the next in a line of star defenders in Tallahassee: Former ‘Noles defensive linemen Eddie Goldman, Mario Edwards Jr., Timmy Jernigan and Bjoern Werner were taken in the first two rounds of the past two NFL drafts alone.

For coverage and analysis of all the latest commitments on National Signing Day, check out Signing Day Central.