Wide receiver Joshua Burrell signs with Florida State

Long-time Florida State commit Joshua Burrell made it official Wednesday morning when he signed with the Seminoles.

Burrell, a 6’3 215 pound wide receiver from Blythewood High School in South Carolina has an 88 rating (high 3-star) from the 247 Sports Composite List. He’s their 516th best player (77th best WR and 5th best player in SC).

He chose FSU after a Junior Day visit to Tallahassee because the coaches made him feel wanted:

What drew you to Florida State in the first place?

“Dream school of mine, and they showed me a bunch of love!”

When you say they “showed a bunch of love,” which coaches did that and how?

“When I first got the offer, the whole staff would FaceTime me once or twice a week, check up on me, and make sure I was gonna get down to campus. Coach Norvell always checks in on me. He made sure to call me on the first day coaches were allowed to call us. I’ve been playing Madden with (Coach) Dillingham and Coach Davis, Coach Tokarz always checks on me. I get on the phone with Coach Dugans once or twice a week. They text me every day!”

Here’s how Burrell describes his game:

“I’m a bigger receiver, but I believe I can do it all. I’m very physical, love contact, but I pride myself in how I can do things like smaller receivers. Might not be 4.3 speed, but I can move, too, and make the big play.”

Our recruiting team took an in-depth look at his qualities, as well:

Burrell is a big and bulky receiver and uses that to his advantage on the field, bullying defenders and using his body to shield. He also routinely leaves defenders in his tracks with his speed. The first word that comes to mind when watching Burrell is “dynamic,” and it’s easy to see why he’s one of the top players in the Carolinas.

Take a look at the pace in which Burrell runs this five-step slant. He’s hard off the line, before getting himself under control through his cut and finding the hole. This is well done, as it allows the QB’s read to materialize in this slant-bubble combo. Had Burrell not been patient out of his break, he would’ve run himself out of the passing window. Patience is a virtue; sadly, not many high school wide receivers possess it.

The second part of the play that’s impressive is the power with which he finishes. He runs through not one, not two, but three defenders on his way to the end zone. This is an excellent example of power and determination, and something you love to see from your guys. Some will question his long speed, but he seemingly never gets caught in the open field—again, that long stride is deceptive, leaving defenders to underestimate Burrell, which leads to poor angles.

Excellent route running and an ability to exploit zone coverage...remind you of any recent ’Nole wideouts? As a WR, getting your hips down and utilizing your arms when making cuts is a must, and Burrell shows that on tape. This is one reason we believe Burrell could see time as a slot WR in FSU’s offense. There’s a smoothness to Burrell’s game that you don’t always see from big-bodied receivers.

The beauty about Joshua Burrell is the coaches know exactly what they’re getting. Burrell’s a bulky, tough, physical wideout who knows how to find holes in coverage and run technical routes. He’s already built like a college receiver and will likely see early playing time if he learns the offense. He isn’t afraid to go over the middle, and he’s extremely tough to bring down with just one guy—Burrell’s the type of WR who runs over you before turning around to wink at you as he crosses the end zone, letting you know it’s going to be a long night, and you’ll feel it in the morning. Burrell will play an important role in the offense and could see time outside, as a slot, or even inside as a hybrid TE/H-back at times. He won’t be the headliner of this WR class, but Florida State fans will be happy he’s in Garnet and Gold once they see him hit the field.

From his FSU bio:

WR | 6-2 | 212

BLYTHEWOOD, S.C.

BLYTHEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Rated as No. 4 prospect in South Carolina by Rivals and ESPN and as state’s No. 5 prospect in 247Sports Composite…played in South Carolina’s highest classification…made 57 receptions for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior…helped Blythewood advance to AAAAA state playoffs…appeared as sophomore on state playoff team that finished 2018 season 6-4…also ran track…ran on school-record 4×200 and sprint medley relays.

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