FSU DE Brian Burns: 1st-round pick of Carolina in 2019 NFL Draft

From five-star recruit to first-round draft pick: Brian Burns is officially an NFL player. The Carolina Panthers selected Burns with the 16th pick the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, making Burns the 44th first-round pick in Florida State history.

Burns joins the Panthers after a prolific career in Tallahassee, which saw him rack up 23 sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss. The Fort Lauderdale native also added seven pass deflections as well.

Burns was an immediate impact player at FSU, despite playing behind future NFL draft picks like DeMarcus Walker and Josh Sweat.

He led all freshmen in the nation with 9.5 sacks in 2016, a mark that was also the most for an FSU freshman since 1977. As a junior in 2018, he was named First-Team All-ACC and fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele.

Burns measured in at the NFL Combine at 6-foot-5 and 249-pounds, which likely pushed him up draft boards. One of the concerns surrounding Burns was his ability to carry weight, so it will be interesting if he plays at that weight in the NFL.

With Carolina, Burns’ role in year one is simple: rush the passer. Despite being a first-round pick, it is likely that the Panthers ease Burns into action as a situational pass rusher while he continues to add weight in an NFL strength and conditioning program. Burns will join Graham Gano as Seminoles on the Carolina roster.

To keep up with which ’Noles have been selected and which ones remain on the board, be sure to check regularly with our tracker over the next couple days.