Artie Burns Shines at Combine, Proves He's One of the Draft's Top Corners

As is the case every year, the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine has its share of winners and losers at every position, from freak athletes and fast 40 times to brute strength on the bench press and polished prospects owning press conferences.

Among this year's crop of defensive backs, Miami's Artie Burns certainly made his mark with an impressive performance during Monday's workout session.

The highlight of Burns' performance was his 4.46-second 40-yard dash, which was faster than many players at his position who measured in smaller during the all-important weigh-ins.

Speaking of size, two players considered to be among the top corner prospects in this year's draft—Florida's Vernon Hargreaves III and Clemson's Mackensie Alexander—each came in at just over 5'10" tall. As the NFL continues to place a greater value on bigger corners who can more favorably match up with the league's taller, more physical receivers, corners who measure under 6'0" tend to be at a serious disadvantage, both on paper and between the lines.

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

With his combination of speed, size and length—his 33 1/4" arms were among the longest of any defensive back at the combine—Burns has exactly what NFL scouting departments are looking for from their corners. He also brings versatility, with the ability to play either safety or corner at the next level, as well as the ability to return kicks. Whether on defense or special teams, Burns will have the ability to make an instant impact in the NFL.

After the year Burns has had off the field, putting on a show in front of scouts in Indianapolis was the easy part.

Last October, Burns' mother died suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 44. The Hurricanes football community came together to help support him and his family, creating a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral and medical expenses. The campaign raised over $40,000 in just six hours.

The 20-year-old dedicated his combine performance to his late mother, via Sports Talk Florida:

When Burns made the announcement he was leaving school early to enter this year's draft, he revealed that due to his mother's death and his father's incarceration, he had taken over custody of his two younger brothers and would be raising them along with his own son (h/t Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald):

Despite the adversity he faced in his personal life, Burns put together an impressive junior campaign for the Hurricanes in 2015, leading the ACC with six interceptions despite playing in a rotation at corner. The Miami native added 36 tackles, five pass breakups and a fumble recovery over 12 starts this past season. Burns showed his versatility as a playmaker as a sophomore, tallying two sacks in 2014.

An impressive natural athlete, Burns was just as successful as a track star, racking up plenty of accolades both in high school and at Miami. In 2014, Burns broke a 38-year-old NCAA record in the 60-meter hurdles.

While Burns is still fairly raw as a prospect, he's got the combination of size, speed and athleticism that will generate plenty of interest among NFL decision-makers. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein pointed out some of Burns' strengths:

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Premium athlete with long, angular build and preferred blend of size and speed. One of the top 60-meter hurdlers in college track and field. Wakes up every morning with natural ball skills to flip the field. Got hands on high number of targeted throws, including six interceptions this season despite playing in a cornerback rotation.

Will bait quarterbacks into trap throws. Has soft hands and catch radius of a receiver when it is time to take the ball away. Possesses brash, cocky demeanor. Length and physicality from press can be extremely disruptive. Burst on the throw is NFL-worthy. When he's dialed in, has talent to be impactful. Usually finishes when he makes contact as tackler.

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Those ball skills were on full display on this interception against Nebraska, as Draft Breakdown's Joe Marino pointed out earlier this month:

Once viewed as a mid-round prospect, Burns had already begun to generate some buzz among draft analysts before the combine began. On a conference call, ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. said he would put Burns in the late-first round, per Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald.

Burns needs some polish when it comes to the game's finer points, but NFL-level coaching should get the best out of his athletic ability. With playmaking ways flashed on tape and his showing at the combine, it's not out of the question for Burns to sneak into the first round as one of the first corners off the board.

Luke Easterling is a Featured Columnist who covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. He also covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Scout.com. Follow him on Twitter @LukeEasterling.