CEDAR BLUFF – The crowd gathered at Cedar Bluff senior quarterback/safety Jacob Burleson’s football signing with Berry College on Wednesday in the school library encouraged him to cap off the festivities with one thing: his signature celebration dance.
Burleson finally obliged the crowd, making the moves twice for the cell phones and cameras that were rolling.
“That’s just my dance,” he said. “I do it all the time, especially when I’m celebrating on the field.”
Burleson has had plenty to celebrate throughout his football career, especially his senior year.
An all-state performer at safety, Burleson posted 42 tackles and nine interceptions for the Class 1A Tigers (6-5). On offense, he threw for 1,302 yards and 10 touchdowns and ran for 563 yards on 124 carries with nine scores.
“(The) dude is an all-around athlete who can do it all on and off the field,” Berry assistant coach Jake McKenzie said of Burleson.
That’s something McKenzie and the Berry staff is just discovering for themselves, but it’s something first-year Cedar Bluff coach Alan Beckett and former Tiger coach/current assistant principal Jonathan McWhorter have known for years.
“Everything he’s earned is deserved,” McWhorter said. “He played quarterback for us, defensive back, long snapper. He’s done a little bit of everything.”
But perhaps his biggest impact with the Tigers came on defense. That’s where the Vikings plan on utilizing his talent as well.
“I was surprised a lot of people threw the ball his way,” Beckett said. “We played a lot of teams who didn’t throw it a lot. His numbers would’ve been off the charts if we’d have seen people throw. Some people, you can ball fake and take off, but he doesn’t. He just sits there and does a good job of reading the football and taking off at a good angle.”
Burleson said playing both quarterback and safety benefited him tremendously.
“Playing quarterback, you’ve got to read all the holes on the defense,” he said. “I kind of transitioned that to playing defense and learning when we were playing this kind of zone, the quarterback is going to be looking right here, so I could go ahead and cheat on the ball I guess you could say.
“I guess I’ve just got something to reading the ball. It’s just always been something I’ve done. I’ve just worked hard at it.”
With Burleson’s 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame, he said the Vikings first recruited him as a tight end for their system, but they eventually began looking at him on the other side of the football and as a long snapper.
“They could see I could play safety, and we got to talking and I told them I could snap,” Burleson said.
The versatility Burleson displayed has paid off for him, McWhorter said.
“If you want to get on the field, you want to have possibilities,” McWhorter said. “I was talking to his dad (Chris Burleson), and they were excited to hear about he might even get on the field as a freshman. The more options you have, the better chance you have of getting on the field.
“He’ll do a great job there. He’ll work hard. He’ll get a great degree. He’ll be a valuable member of their program and on campus there. We’re just real proud of him.”
“So many teams were looking at him at so many different positions, because of his height, his frame and his physicality,” Beckett said. “Some people peak at 17 or 18, but he has not. His football IQ, and his IQ period, is high.
“He loves to play. He’s got that little kid in him. He loves to get out there and play and compete every Friday. Whatever he touches, whether it’s on the baseball diamond or basketball or whatever, he’s going to excel at. He’s the last guy to leave. Every kid is not ready for the time commitment and all, but I’m excited for him. He’ll do well. He’s ready.”
As for why he chose Berry, Burleson said “they’ve been recruiting me since day one.”
“They’re the first coaches to actually contact me, kind of grow a relationship with me. That played a big part of who I chose,” he said. “It just felt like a home to me. Their football program was really good to me. I chose them for a reason.”
And that choice also means Burleson is fulfilling his dream.
“Growing up, I’ve always loved sports, and it’s just been a dream of mine to play at the next level,” he said. “I finally got it done today, making it official. I’m pretty happy.
“I just want to thank all my coaches and teammates and family and friends for supporting me and getting me to this moment. Without them I couldn’t have gotten here.”