4-Star Safety Amari Burney Commits to Florida over Ohio State, Virginia Tech

Amari Burney, one of the top safeties in the 2018 class, announced Thursday he will play his college ball for the Florida Gators.

According to Blake Alderman of 247Sports, the native of Clearwater, Florida, chose the Gators over Ohio State and Virginia Tech.

He explained the reasoning behind his decision to Alderman: "It's just the coaches and my relationship with all the coaches there, especially Coach Mac [Jim McElwain]. The things they have around the school like the academic facilities stand out, and it looked great when they showed it to me. Being close to home isn't a big factor, but it's a nice thing to have."

Burney is a 4-star recruit and the No. 8 athlete in the country, per Scout.com. While Burney also plays wide receiver, he appears likely to settle on safety, and he will enter the collegiate ranks as Scout's No. 150 overall recruit.

"Overall game, I'm a hard hitter. ... I come downhill hard," Burney said in January, per Brice Marich of Scout.com. "Sometimes I play receiver too, so I can learn what receivers do when I play defense."

This versatility makes him a valuable commodity for a college team, especially as he tries to make an early impact. 

Florida has been known for its development of defensive backs in recent years, although there could also be more of an opening for playing time at receiver. With Burney's size and strength, it won't be surprising if he sees the field during his freshman season. 

The talent is there for him to be a potential star on either side of the ball.