Coach | 2023 Notre Dame DE Target Vic Burley Is "Going To Be Great"

Victor Burley‍ has positioned himself as one of the top prospects in the Class of 2023 and on Wednesday, the Georgia defensive end put himself on the list of 2023 targets with Notre Dame offers.

“Of course he has the size and the length and all that,” Warner Robins head coach Marquis Westbrook says of the 6-foot-4, 255-pounder. “But I think his preparation at his age makes him stand out even more because his approach to the game is unlike any other. Last year as a sophomore, he was really focused, really dedicated to his craft. I think that makes the difference in his game.

“We try to tell our players, 'You can't turn it on at any time.' He's one of those guys who can do that, but he keeps it there. He's different from that standpoint. I think his preparation and his mentality, the way he approaches Monday through Thursday for practice is different, which makes it easy on Friday for him.”

Westbrook points to that length as one of the physical traits that truly makes Burley stand out.

“When he came over as a freshman, he was already 6-4,” the coach says. “He was 240 when he came over. He's up to like 269. His hands are touching his knees when he stands up and he has great get-off, he has great punch.

“He's going to have some stuff that he needs to work on. He's a good pass rusher, but I think he could be great at pass rushing. I think the sky's the limit for him. Once he starts to learn his body even more, he's going to be great. He's a phenomenal kid as well. A yes-sir, no-sir kid. He's a really great person.”

Even with offers from schools like Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and USC among many others, Burley isn’t focused on recruiting.

“He just said, 'Coach, I'm playing football right now and I'm just going to talk to my family,’” Westbrook says. “They're going to sit down and make some decisions soon. I know it's still early in the process for him and people are still coming at him. He's just trying to perfect his craft. He has to make that decision soon. He and his family are going to have to make that decision together.”

Westbrook is advising his kids to do just that, keep their families in the loop.

“It's going to depend on what preferences they have in terms of travel, interest in education, what they have to offer the school and what the school needs from them and that relationship that they have with the recruiting coordinators and the coaches.

“Football is really transient now. So, you have to commit to the school and not the coaching staff, so to speak. Parents are aware of that and that's what I'm advising, just to make sure that they're looking at all aspects of the process, not just the football.”