NC State lands commitment from massive OL Jacob Burns
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NC State made its move last weekend and closed the deal a few days later.
Three-star offensive lineman Jacob Burns committed to Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack on Thursday, ending a recruitment that featured serious pushes from Virginia Tech, North Carolina and a late surge from South Carolina.
The 6-foot-7, 295-pound lineman, who is originally from Canada and plays at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee in North Georgia, took his official visit to Raleigh last weekend. What started as a school he liked quickly turned into the place he felt was home.
Burns had previously visited NC State for a game during the season, but the official visit changed everything.
“I didn’t really know what was up coming into the visit,” Burns told Rivals. “They offered me a couple years ago, and I had a really good relationship with Coach TJ (Garett Tujague), but they were never really at the top. Then I went back and visited again, and I just loved it. I love Coach Doeren. He’s a great dude. Once I saw what they had going on and the guys they had committed, I realized I wanted to go there.”
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Virginia Tech remained a major factor throughout the process, while North Carolina quietly made a strong push behind the scenes. South Carolina also worked to gain momentum late after hosting Burns on a visit. In the end, NC State’s official visit weekend proved to be the difference.
“I think it’s a place where I can become the best player and the best version of myself,” he said. “I trust their plan for my development. When they tell me what their plan is for me, I really like it.”
Doeren’s leadership also played a significant role in the decision.
The longtime NC State head coach has built one of the most stable programs in the ACC, and Burns valued that consistency.
“He’s won a lot of games and he’s been there a long time,” Burns said. “He’s one of the longest-tenured coaches in college football. When you talk to him, he’s going to give you the real. It doesn’t feel like recruiting. It feels like you’re talking man-to-man.”
Offensive line coach Tujague, meanwhile, strengthened his standing with Burns throughout the official visit.
“I just like the way he teaches,” Burns said. “Watching him work with the players and seeing how he coaches them, he’s a teacher, and that’s what I really like.”
The decision nearly happened before Burns left Raleigh.
He admitted he strongly considered committing during the visit but wanted to discuss the choice with family members, including his mother and grandparents, before making it official.
“Once I talked to everybody and got their thoughts, I was just like, yeah, I want to get this done,” Burns said.
The atmosphere around the program also left a lasting impression, and he is excited about his future in Raleigh.
“I loved the passion I witnessed from NC State fans during his earlier game-day visit,” he said. “From inside the stadium to when we went outside at halftime, everyone was involved in every snap.
“It was very exciting and I like the culture there a lot.”
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