Going into the 2022 football season, Aggies Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas A&M roster.
Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Jimbo Fisher this season.
Marcus Burris Jr. enters his redshirt freshman season at the defensive tackle position after continuing to recover from an Achilles injury he sustained during the 2020 season, choosing to redshirt in 2021. As I look through every defensive line profile I have written, Marcus Burris Jr. looks to be the prime breakout candidate out of the group after a successful spring, notching a sack in the Maroon and White game on April, 9th. Burris Jr. became a priority recruit for the Aggies after a stellar 2019 junior season at Pleasant Grove High School in Texarkana, Texas, in which Burris recorded 92 tackles, 13 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and an interception while helping Pleasant Grove to a 15-1 record and win the Texas 4A D-II state title. During his recruitment process, his decision came down to Oklahoma for Texas A&M, ultimately choosing the Aggies and committing and singing his letter of intent on Dec. 16, 2020. Burris Jr. now has the opportunity to continue with the progress he made in the spring going into the summer.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Texarkana, Texas
Height: 6-4
Weight: 285lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking
Class of 2021: 4-Star player ranking, 20th ranked player in Texas, 21st ranked defensive line prospect in the country
Depth Chart Overview
Marcus Burris Jr. is currently projected as a backup rotational defensive tackle/ 5-tech defensive end in Texas A&M’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme, led by the first-year defensive coordinator for the Aggies, D.J. Durkin. Burris Jr. will be competing for snaps against a number of true freshmen, most notably defensive ends, Anthony Lucas (Freshman) and Shemar Stewart (Freshman). Overall, Burris Jr. is very flexible from a position standpoint, playing strong side defensive end for a majority of his high school career, while expected to remain said versatility at defensive tackle defensive end in specific packages. While examining his traits, Burris Jr. is very athletic from his size, standing at 6-4, 285lbs, and has great play strength at the point of attack, consistently using his length and lateral speed in run defense, and exhibits stack and shed ability during his pass rush. During the spring game, Burris Jr. showed his potential as an inside pass rushing presence, with an elevated speed to power ability, a more powerful first punch, and increased upper body strength noticed during his bull rushes while successfuly beating his blocker in multiple reps. As he is slowly ascending as a legitimate player for the Aggies, the competition this summer will be fierce, and I know we will all be looking forward to watching Marcus Burris Jr. put in the work.
Players’ Photo Gallery
let’s get it! pic.twitter.com/IV5IaP1fmk
— Marcus Burris (@MarcusBurris8) August 20, 2021