Michael Burton was an unlikely NFL draft pick. He’s a fullback for the Detroit Lions. He started his career at Rutgers as a preferred walk-on. Yet by the time he was a senior, he became one of the best fullbacks in the country. But did his recruiter at Rutgers think Burton had a shot at the NFL when he was a high school player at West Morris Central in New Jersey? Rutgers linebackers coach Bob Fraser, Burton’s recruiter, answers that and more in this recruiting tale. (This was edited for space and clarity) How did you find Michael? Bob Fraser: He wasn’t necessarily a Division I scholarship guy, but he had scholarship offers to Maine and a couple other places, I-AA schools. His coach brings their team down to Rutgers Stadium every spring because that’s where they play the championship. So he brings them down, the seniors down, every spring and they just kind of walk around and see the facilities and the stadium. So he came down and I had a chance to meet him then, and you can always tell when there is something special about a guy. Then you watch his tape his junior year and you’re like, 'Holy smokes, the guy’s a really good player.' The unfortunate thing is he’s a fullback and we had already signed a fullback for that class. But you say you’d love to have this kid on your team. His senior year, he did nothing but win a championship and do great things. If you talk to his high school coach, he’ll tell you what a great leader he was, what a hard worker he was, and those are the things that you want as a part of your team. We were able to visit him. Coach (Greg) Schiano, when he was here, and the rest of the staff really liked him. We were able to visit him, and I’ll never forget his dad saying, 'You know coach, what do you think? Do you think he could play?' We’re sitting there on his recruiting visit and I say, 'Look, I’m not a charity case. I don’t recruit guys that I don’t think can play. I can’t tell you he’ll have a scholarship. I can’t tell you that. But I can tell you he’s a damned good player and I think he’s good enough to be a scholarship kid here.' A year later, he’s a scholarship kid and off he goes. Because you have a fullback signed already, do you think you’re going to actually get him? Fraser: Well, no. I didn’t necessarily. But all throughout we recruited him. I recruited him like he was any other player. When it came down to it, at that time his sister was going through Johns Hopkins playing basketball there. So his dad is paying for Hopkins. So there’s him saying well, he’s got a free ride to Maine but this kid wants to play Division I football at Rutgers. So his dad says, 'Do you understand what I’m saying to you?' I said, 'I get it, but ...' Now, my son is going to be a senior and I have to foot that bill for college, so I understand much better now than I did then. He’s like, 'Are you sure, coach?' I said, 'Look, it’s easy for me to spend your money, but it’s a good place for him.' We were very, very fortunate that Mike had a desire. The way he, I’m just giving my opinion, he’s going to play in the NFL for 10 years if he can stay healthy, and he’s going to be a great person for the team. He’s just a great guy to be around. He’s going to be a great pro because he knows how to work, knows how to prepare. Knows what it takes to be the best he can be. He’s just a special person. When you’re recruiting him, do you think he’s an NFL pro at that point? Fraser: Oh no. Do I think he’s an NFL pro? Heck no, I don’t think he’s an NFL pro. But I say that because there are really few guys that I think are NFL pros. We have some phenoms, but you know what, I do think this. Any kid that we recruit has the ability to be one. But do I even think that far ahead? I just hope he gets here and he’s the player that I think he is and he makes the team. Pro? Goodness gracious, no. What does he do that stands out? Fraser: The work ethic and the heart and the determination that he has. That’s where he ... the intangibles you could never see unless you know him. Unless you’re around him, you’ll never know that. You’ll say he’s a tough player and he’s good, but unless you know how hard he works and the intangibles with which he attacks the game. And himself. He has goals that he sets for himself that he works very hard to attain. That’s the uniqueness in him. Everybody says they set goals, but he had to set them and attain them because he was never given anything the whole way through. He’s earned everything he’s got. That’s what I think makes him special. Just the mental toughness and the heart and desire.
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