Wisconsin Football: Freshman CB Donte Burton

Wisconsin Football Cornerback Donte Burton is the next subject of the Freshman Focus series.

Perhaps the biggest question mark heading into the 2018 season for the Wisconsin program is their depth in the secondary, particularly at cornerback. With the departures of Nick Nelson, Derrick Tindal, and Lubern Figaro, the cornerback position will have a spotlight on it early in camp as defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard looks to fill the experience gap with young talent. But should it be a cause for concern? Not if incoming freshman cornerback Donte “Clamp” Burton, has anything to say about it.

Burton comes from the rich recruiting ground that is the state of Georgia and brings with him an impressive pedigree and highlight reel. During his recruitment, Burton had a myriad of notable program offers from the likes of Oregon, West Virginia, Nebraska and UCF, and was predicted to commit to Notre Dame before his pivotal visit to Camp Randall early last season to watch the Badgers play Northwestern. Following his experience at the game and with the coaching staff, he decided to commit to the Badgers and coach Jim Leonhard on October 1^st 2017 so he could enroll early in winter conditioning and get acclimated with Wisconsin.

A 3-star recruit, Burton scored a .871 composite score on 24/7 Sports. His combination of height (6 feet), speed, and reaction skills made him the 58^th ranked cornerback recruit in the nation and the 64^th ranked overall recruit from Georgia. Here’s what his Loganville High School head coach Mike Humphreys told Land of 10 during an interview:

"“He has good closing speed,” Humphreys said. “He’s very quick to the ball. Competitor. He has a nose for the football. We’ve seen that since his eighth-grade summer year when he was going to be an incoming ninth grader. He just had a special knack to get to the football.”"

Humphreys went on to note in a second Land of 10 interview that Burton does need to add strength and size to his frame, but believes that his good combo of speed and instincts could spell trouble for many opposing QBs in the near future.

"“He’s definitely one of the best corners that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Humphreys, who finished his 14th season with the Loganville program and his third season as coach. “Even the summer before his ninth grade year, you could tell he was going to be a special kid.”"

What to Expect

The freshman trio of Burton, along with Travian Blaylock and Alexander Smith will give the Badgers secondary a solid infusion of speed and athleticism as they look to reload at the vitally important skill position while not losing the top 10 defense they’ve become known for over the past few years. Burton in particular projects as a press man corner, but his smaller frame (6 feet tall, 174 pounds) means that he’ll most likely line up in the slot for his first few years, as the likes of Dontye Carriere-Williams, Madison Cone and Caesar Williams compete for the top cornerback spots.

While he might be green, Burton has a chance to make an impact as the smaller dime or nickel cornerback and should be part of a young rotation for more pass-heavy matchups that also feature Sophomore Faion Hicks. Here’s how Burton put it in his words during a recent interview with 24/7 Sports.

"“I’m looking to contribute early,” Burton said. “They have quite a few guys leaving in the secondary, so it’s going to be a great chance for me to make an early impact. Just go in and work, learn the playbook and accomplish my dream of being a true freshman at the college level.”"

Reports from Spring practice have been positive, as Burton is already practicing with the second team defense, which is a good sign for the young cornerback. Another good sign? Burton seems to be following in the footsteps of the Oakland Raiders’ Nick Nelson, who helped pioneer the hoodie look for the Badgers in 2017.

Next: Top 5 coaches in the Big Ten

Here’s hoping Burton puts the clamps on unsuspecting receivers this upcoming season.