Deante Burton had to feel weird playing in the Kansas Shrine Game on Saturday.
After working out with Kansas State football players all summer, he took a step back to the high school ranks where everyone is a little bit slower and the quarterbacks put a lot less zip on their passes.
“The quarterbacks we have at Kansas State have really mastered their craft,” Burton said. “Collin Klein, Daniel Sams, Tavarius Bender, those guys throw very well. It was a little different for me adjusting to a wider thrown ball, maybe an under-thrown ball, but it made me better.”
Though Burton was the most targeted receiver in the Kansas all-star game, the Wildcats freshman didn’t see a quality throw all night. He managed to catch three passes for 19 yards, but he spent most of the game leaping and diving all over the place for poorly thrown balls or watching them go way over his head.
But here’s the impressive thing about Burton: He still managed to show off his talent.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Manhattan product not only looked like the top receiver on the field, he looked like the most athletic receiver out there, too. He saw action as a kick returner, and amassed 127 all-purpose yards that gave his team’s offense good field position.
Fellow incoming freshman receiver Collin Sexton, a walk-on from Abilene and the younger brother of Curry Sexton, wasn’t surprised.
“He’s a good leader, he’s got great work ethic and he’s a great athlete,” Sexton said. “He’s so shifty and quick. I expect a lot of good things out of him.”
Read More