Browns to have a pre-draft visit with Rutgers FB Michael Burton

According to Dan Duggan of NJ.com, Rutgers fullback Mike Burton will fly to Cleveland on Thursday to meet with the Browns on Friday.

Michael Burton's bio at ScarletKnights.com says that he entered Rutgers as a running back but then moved to fullback during spring drills before his redshirt freshman year, a year in which he started three of the last four games at fullback. As a redshirt sophomore, he started the first four games and then missed the rest of the year with a leg injury. He played in all 13 games in both of his final two seasons, earning 10 starts in each season. (He was the top fullback on the team but his position was not always featured in the opening personnel grouping of each game.)

Burton was named to the Big Ten All-Academic team as a redshirt senior, to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Football Team as a redshirt junior, and the Big East All-Academic Football Team as a redshirt sophomore.

Mike Burton received Rutgers' offensive Swarm and Finish Award in both of his final two years and the Paul Robeson Award as a redshirt senior. Both of these awards are given to the player that most exemplifies the hard work, effort, determination, and leadership that the football program stands for. He was also voted a team captain by his teammates as a redshirt senior.

Burton measured 5'11" and weighed 242 pounds at the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.74 40-yard dash. His other combine and pro day numbers can be found here.

CBS Sports has Burton ranked as an undrafted free agent. Charles Davis ranked him as his 4th FB.

Mike Mayock called Burton a "tough guy" and spoke of the value of his versatility:

"I think he also catches the football and that's important. I don't really care about him as a runner, but he's got to be able on play-action to sneak out in the flat and catch it, which he does."

At the combine, Mayock also praised Burton for his blocking: "He's a thug, and I mean that in a good way" and "They ought to put a 60-something on his shirt" (an offensive lineman's number).

Lance Zierlein is not as effusive in his praise of Burton as Mayock is:

"Interesting pass-catcher out of the backfield with more agility and ability after the catch than expected. Burton lacks functional size and run-blocking acumen necessary to be a full-time fullback in a zone-scheme offense and will have to prove to be invaluable as a special-teams player in order to warrant a roster spot as an H-back."

For those interested in seeing Mike Burton in action, here he is (#46) vs. Nebraska and DE/OLB Randy Gregory. Burton lines up at fullback, at H-back, and as the third down back in this game. One thing that sets him apart from the average fullback is his quickness: off the snap and in his route-running. He appears to be quite comfortable as a receiver and has little difficulty separating from linebackers in the short area. Mike Burton may be the kind of versatile blocker and receiver that Coach Flip is looking for.