Will FSU’s Brian Burns go top-5 in the 2019 NFL Draft?

In late April, Florida State defensive end Brian Burns is going to become quite rich. That’s when he’ll be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft. Of course, when Burns is chosen in the draft will determine just how much money he makes. And both Burns and his agent should be hoping that CBS Sports is correct in its projection of how early he comes off the board.

Last week, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports saw Burns being picked third, overall, by the New York Jets. His explanation: “Burns is a long, lean, explosive pass rusher. At 235-240 pounds, the concern is whether he’s strong enough to play the position at the next level, but Burns isn’t just a speed rusher; he’s also strong, and has the frame to get stronger.”

Yesterday, Wilson held to his belief that Burns would be gone in the top five, even if sliding him back a couple of spots to the fifth overall selection, by Tampa Bay. Wilson offered the same explanation, while also citing the Bucs’ veteran Jason Pierre-Paul as the 80th-ranked edge rusher in the league, per Pro Football Focus.

Projections surrounding Burns have been all over the map. He’s seen slots as lucrative as the ones above to those in the late first round and well beyond.

So even though the NFL Combine and its underwear olympics remain on the horizon, put on your NFL GM cap for a moment: when would you take Burns in the upcoming draft?