Florida Gators: Exclusive Interview With 2018 4-Star WR Amari Burney

Amari Burney may not be a household name just yet, but he is to true Florida Gators fans. He is a four-star wide receiver in the 2018 recruiting class, and committed to the Gators on June 1, 2017. Now, he is focused on becoming the next big superstar to play wide receiver at the University of Florida.

Florida has had many high-profile wide receivers come through their program. Burney has big dreams and the Gators are exactly the team to help him get there.

At six-foot-one and 215 pounds, Burney is a big, athletic target and will be a nightmare for opposing defenses to face. He will create mismatches and be a big playmaker for Florida, assuming he lives up to his full potential.

According to Burney’s Max Preps page, Burney has gotten off to a solid start in his first four games this season. They list him with 17 catches for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers show a small fraction of the talent and potential that Burney has.

Needless to say, Burney is going to become a fan favorite for the Gators. He has a top-notch work ethic, an excellent attitude, and a great head on his shoulders. Add in the talent that he will bring to the football program and he is the complete package for Florida.

This writer had the chance to sit down and have a conversation with Burney about his commitment to Florida and many other topics. Before anything else, finding out why Burney committed to Florida was the most pressing question.

“It was a long decision but at the end, I loved Florida not just for the football program, but academics. Every time I visited it felt like home and I picked the school. Even if I didn’t play football, I would still attend Florida.”

If you haven’t had a chance to watch Burney play, he was happy to briefly describe his game for us.

“My game is all about speed and strength. When I’m on defense I love to track the ball and on offense I’m a quick hitter. Give me the ball at five yards and I can take it 80.”

At this point in his career, Burney seems to have pinpointed some of his strengths and weaknesses. He also mentioned his defense, which some may not know that he is a quality safety as well.

“My biggest strengths are my size, speed, and athleticism. I attack the ball on offense and defense. My weakness is jam technique. I need to work on that a little more.”

What do you think Burney is like off the field? He was more than happy to describe himself when he isn’t playing football.

“Away from football I just am a kid and play video games and hang out with friends. We mostly bowl on the weekends.”

There is a particular NFL wide receiver that Burney tries to model his game after, and it is a great player to learn from.

“Dez Bryant. I try to model my game after him.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufIOnYjTbGs

Burney has some big goals for his upcoming career at Florida. He shared some of his team and individual goals for his college career.

“My career goals are to win a National Championship, be a great teammate, and always have a winning season. My individual goal is to win a Heisman.”

In five years, Burney mentioned that he sees himself playing in the NFL, which is not a stretch at all. There is no denying that he has the potential to make a run at playing on Sundays.

He also talked about what he has been told by the Florida coaching staff about their expectations for him.

“They expect me to come in and contribute right away.”

At the end of the interview, Burney proceeded to share some advice that he has for young receivers hoping to play college football someday.

“Never get mad over one drop even the best dropped passes. Never blame your quarterback. You have to block to be a complete wide receiver.”

We hope that you have enjoyed this interview and encourage you to follow Burney as he takes his next step. Make sure to follow him on Twitter at @amari_burney!

[Featured Image by Chris O’Meara/AP Images]