Jager Burton Wins Paul Hornung Award

The top-ranked signee in Kentucky’s 2021 football recruiting class added a new piece of hardware to his shelf this week.

The Louisville Quarterback Club named Jager Burton this year’s Paul Hornung Award winner, given each year to the state’s top high school football player. Burton is the first offensive lineman to ever receive the honor.

“It’s just crazy to think I am the first offensive lineman to win when you think about Jed (Wills), Walker (Parks) and Landon (Young) and how they have done such great things in college and even the NFL,” Burton told Larry Vaught. “It’s just weird to even think about.”

The third-ranked offensive guard and No. 66 player in America, according to 247 Sports, Burton earned All-American honors while playing for Frederick Douglass High School this fall. He is one of seven signees in UK’s 2021 recruiting class from the state of Kentucky. Burton plans on enrolling in classes at UK this spring.

It’s the second straight year a UK signee has won the Hornung Award, following Beau Allen in 2020. A look at all of the Wildcats who have won the Hornung Award since it was first administered back in 1993:

2019 — Beau Allen, Lexington Catholic

2016 — Walker Wood, Lafayette

2015 — Kash Daniel, Paintsville

2013 — Matt Elam, John Hardin

2011 — Patrick Towles, Highlands

2007 — Sam Robey, Trinity, Florida, and Sam Ulinski, Male, Kentucky.

2005 — Micah Johnson, Ft. Campbell

2004 — Curtis Pulley, Hopkinsville

1998 — Derek Smith, Highlands

1997 — Dennis Johnson, Harrodsburg

1995 — Tim Couch, Leslie County