Is Athletic, Mature Jager Burton Ready for a Breakout Year?

Vicky Graff Photo

Kentucky associate coach Vince Marrow thinks redshirt sophomore Jager Burton could have a “big” year now that he’s moved from guard to center.

“He’s very athletic and looks really, really good,” said Marrow.

Former Kentucky quarterback Freddie Maggard believes moving Burton from guard to center could be a “Luke Fortner type of deal” for the Cats. Fortner moved from guard to center in 2021 when UK won 10 games and became a starting center for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.

“Jager has a longer reach than Luke. He’s taller and he’ll be able to get to plays that Eli (Cox) could not get to last year (when he moved from guard to center) and could be a potential all-SEC player,” Maggard said. “And Eli will be a lot better back at his natural spot at guard.”

Offensive line coach Zach Yenser admits that Burton had some “growing pains” last year as a starting SEC guard.

“He will be such a better player this year,” Yenser said. “The guys who are talented should start as redshirt sophomores. That gives them two years to mature, get stronger and learn. This is a year to build on for him. He has worked his butt off on snapping the ball, too.”

Yenser noted that Burton was a sophomore at Frederick Douglass High School when he moved from fullback to the offensive line.

“He’s still a young pup learning how to play,” Yenser said. “He is an athlete. He has done a great job watching film and picking (former UK center) Drake Jackson’s brain. And he’s going to be playing between Eli and Kenneth (Horsey) and that’s huge for him.”

Yenser and offensive coordinator Liam Coen plan to do things to “showcase” Burton’s strengths.

“We want to get him out in space. Get him to the second level where he is not just banging heads against 315-pound freak defensive linemen,” Yenser said. “He’s a young guy in our OL room but guys respect him.

“He has also put on great weight. He’s about 315 pounds now and the dude has just been doing a great job.”