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Position: OG/OC
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 285
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va
High School: Frank W Cox HS
Twitter: @RealRossBurbank
Coming into spring practice, Ross Burbank was the #1 OC. However, he struggled during spring practices, and especially during the spring game, and was replaced at the top of the depth chart by Jackson Matteo. Burbank's biggest problem seems to be a lack of lower body strength and an inability to get a good intial punch. He gets bulled over by bigger DTs, and starts out too many plays going backwards.
Like most good OLs, Burbank played on the outside in HS. He was moved inside almost immediately upon arriving at Virginia and slotted at OC. He saw some time last year as a redshirt freshman at both OG and OC, but mostly at RG. While he's now listed on the roster as an OG, he's listed as the 2nd string OC. Most likely, if Matteo were replaced at OC, it would be Luke Bowanko sliding over and somebody taking his place. That could be Burbank, or somebody else. Burbank could see time at OC or at either OG spot this season, depending on the play of the OLs above him.
Burbank was rated a 3 star recruit by all 3 major recruiting services. He was ranked the 56th best OG in the nation by Scout and the 85th best OT by ESPN. He's been able to put on some weight in his 2 years in the program, getting up to almost 290 pounds now. He still seemed to have problems with bigger DTs during the spring.
If he can continue to work hard in the weight room and on his technique, Burbank should be able to see the field next year when three of our starting OLs have graduated. But if he is unable to figure out what is holding him back, he may get jumped (again) by some younger guys.