Countdown to Kickoff: No. 1

Morgan Burnett

The countdown to kickoff is officially on as Georgia Tech‘s season-opening matchup at Colorado on Aug. 29 is less than 100 days away.

Until then JOL will be counting it down with one Jackets’ player daily that wore the corresponding number of days remaining until toe meets leather in Boulder.

With it now one day until kickoff in Boulder, today’s focus is on No. 1 Morgan Burnett, a player who spent just three seasons on The Flats but made them count as one of the most productive safeties in Georgia Tech program history.

Burnett got his start at North Clayton High (Ga.) in College Park where he played on both sides of the ball for the Eagles and was named to the Class AAAA All-State Team at defensive back as a senior thanks to a 100-plus tackle, six-interception campaign. After being highly-rated by multiple recruiting services and garnering offers from several big-time programs, Burnett eventually chose to stay close to home and sign with Georgia Tech as part of the Jackets’ memorable 2007 class that included several all-time program greats.

Burnett immediately made an impact for the Jackets as a true freshman in 2007, playing in 13 games and racking up 57 total tackles (37 solo), three tackles-for-loss, one sack and three interceptions on his way to being named to the ACC All-Freshman Team by Sporting News.

Burnett took his game to an even higher level in 2008 as he became the full-time starter at safety and compiled 93 total tackles (62 solo) over 13 games with seven tackles-for-loss, seven interceptions, one forced fumble and one defensive touchdown. His seven interceptions led the FBS that year as he was named a First-Team All-American by Pro Football Weekly, Second-Team by Rivals, Sports Illustrated and Sporting News and Third-Team by Phil Steele. He also earned Second-Team All-ACC honors.

Burnett’s final season on The Flats in 2009 was another productive one as he was a key piece of the Jackets’ defense that helped the team to an ACC Championship and an Orange Bowl berth. In 14 games he had 85 total tackles (48 solo), four tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and one forced fumble. He was once again named Second-Team All-ACC.

Coming off that 2009 campaign, Burnett chose to forego his senior year and enter the 2010 NFL Draft, leaving Georgia Tech as one of the best defensive backs in program history, ranking tied for second all-time in interceptions with 14 and also tied for fourth in single-season interceptions with his seven in 2008.

Burnett was selected in the third round by the Green Bay Packers with the 71st overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft and went on to play eight seasons there followed by one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018 and one season with the Cleveland Browns in 2019 to close out his pro career. Burnett won a Super Bowl Championship ring as a rookie in 2010 as part of the Packers’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.

In all for his NFL career, Burnett played in 121 games with 112 starts and had 769 total tackles (540 solo) with 27 tackles-for-loss, 9.5 sacks, 10 interceptions, eight forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, one defensive touchdown and 52 passes defended. After not playing in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Burnett chose to retire as a Green Bay Packer in August of 2022.

Burnett was inducted into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in the Class of 2020 and is currently an assistant coach at Walton High (Ga.) in Marietta with one of the players under his tutelage being his son and 2027 defensive back prospect MJ Burnett.

Honorable Mention

–Ken Swilling (Defensive back from 1988-1991; Member of the GT 1990 National Championship Team; Unanimous First-Team All-American in 1990, Third-Team All-American in 1989 and First-Team All-ACC in 1989 and 1990; Finished his career with 267 tackles, 13 interceptions and two defensive touchdowns; His 13 interceptions are good for tied for fifth all-time in Tech program history; Was the first ACC player to return a two-point conversion attempt for a score on a 99-yard interception return vs. Duke in 1989; Was drafted in the seventh round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and also was part of the Browns, Patriots and Cardinals’ franchises before his pro career came to an end following the 1994 season; Inducted into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2001)

–Reggie Ball (Quarterback from 2003-2006; Finished his career playing in 49 games with 8,128 passing yards and 57 touchdowns along with 1,451 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns; Won ACC Rookie of the Year in 2003 and was named the Champs Sports Bowl MVP in 2004; Is third all-time in GT program history in passing yards with 8,128, second all-time in passing touchdowns with 57 and has the fourth highest single-season passing touchdown total with 20 in 2006; After going undrafted, he spent time on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad and injured reserve in 2007-2008 and also played for the Bricktown Brawlers of the Indoor Football League in 2011)