With family ties to Tech and Georgia, MJ Burnett looks to forge own path

Legacies are a tricky thing in recruiting for the Georgia Bulldogs these days.

The Bulldogs saw two legacies join the program in the latest cycle in defensive linemen Anthony Lonon Jr. and Carter Luckie. Their fathers signed with UGA in the same recruiting class a generation ago.

The program also has seen several legacies opt to play elsewhere, such as Thomas Davis Jr. and Justice Haynes. Five-star 2027 edge rusher DJ Jacobs recently committed to Ohio State.

It shows more and more prospects who grew up watching their dads’ teams don’t always follow that same path. That’s why it was interesting to see the Bulldogs recently offer Georgia Tech legacy MJ Burnett.

The Walton High star is the son of Yellow Jackets Hall of Famer Morgan Burnett. Burnett played 10 seasons in the NFL, most notably with the Green Bay Packers.

Burnett is ranked as a 3-star, but his recruiting has been on a heater over the past 10 days. The fact that he’s picked up offers from Georgia, Miami and Ohio State, among others, is an indicator that his ranking will trend upward in due time.

Georgia was the first of his recent offers. That offer came on a weekend Junior Day visit. The Dogs jumped in with an offer at a time when it seems like Tech is not doing everything it can to sign him.

When he visited, Burnett said Georgia had him at 6-foot-4 and 198 pounds. That’s an inch or two taller than most of the recruiting industry has him.

“They see me as a free safety,” Burnett said. “As in Georgia’s scheme, they said they see me as a boundary safety.”

That’s a KJ Bolden or a Morgan Burnett-type safety. Burnett said his father’s path inspires him.

“I would say as a kid, always being around the sport, I developed a love for the game,” Burnett said. “Always watching my dad play, I was like, ‘Dang, I want to be in that position,’ always being on TV, being where kids can come up and be like ‘I want to be like him.’ I just have a deep love for the game and just want to make it to the top one day.”

Cap Burnett, his uncle, is the head coach at North Clayton High School. He played at UGA until injuries halted his career. Kirby Smart brought that up on his recent visit.

“He played football with my uncle at Georgia, and he recruited my dad,” MJ Burnett said. “He came up and said ‘what’s up’ to all of us, and we were having a good conversation. He was talking about how he coaches and his coaching style.”

"As a kid, always being around the sport, I developed a love for the game," says Walton High safety MJ Burnett, one of the hottest recruits in Georgia right now. (Courtesy)

Georgia safeties coach Travaris Robinson actually offered Burnett a scholarship.

“They like my height, my measurables, my range and my ability to play the middle-of-the-field safety,” Burnett said. “They said I’m a true ball hawk, and that’s really their leading factors in why they offered me.”

When he visited UGA this month, he left with a strong impression.

“They did show a lot of love,” he said, “The defensive coaches seem very cool. They seem like coaches who can teach you a lot of stuff about your position. They did jump up on the board for sure.”

There’s now a lot to think about with the Bulldogs.

“I like the program that Kirby Smart is building,” Burnett said. “The key thing that stuck out to me when they were going through the visit, talking about the school, was that Georgia is key to development. I feel like that is a big part of my recruiting. I want a school to develop me over time so I don’t have to hit the portal.”

“I just want a school to develop me and get my skills right so I can go in the draft and to the league.”

His father has given him his props for his game.