As April Fools’ Day approaches, North Carolina State forward DJ Burns Jr. is generating buzz that’s anything but a joke. At 6’9” and 275 pounds, Burns has been making waves during the NCAA tournament, earning the ACC tournament MVP title as he led the Wolfpack to the Elite Eight. While he may not be on NBA draft radar just yet, there’s now talk of him potentially making a leap to another sport: football.
NFL Network reporter Peter Schrager has spoken with scouts and general managers about Burns transitioning to football. A football workout after the Final Four could attract significant interest and potentially lucrative opportunities for Burns. Schrager’s report was confirmed by Awful Announcing as no April Fools’ prank.
Jim Nagy, who organizes the Senior Bowl, has also confirmed that the NFL is interested in Burns, further solidifying the possibility of him switching sports. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him on the field during training camp this season, ready to take on a new challenge in his athletic career. The idea of athletes transitioning between sports is becoming more popular these days; just last week, rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit signed with the Kansas City Chiefs without any prior football experience. Additionally, the Green Bay Packers have a player on their roster who was originally a soccer player before switching to basketball and then ultimately choosing football as a defensive lineman.
