OVERVIEW
When Keenan Burton was out of the lineup with assorted injuries -- knee, foot and ankle -- during his career, the Wildcats were a different team.
Back from injury, Burton had a banner junior season. Burton became just the third player in school history to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a season (1,036) in 2006 and is also the third Wildcat to ever amass over 2,000 receiving yards in a career. His 12 touchdown receptions in 2006 rank second on the school's single-season record list. He also set another Kentucky record by catching at least two touchdown passes in four consecutive games (Mississippi State, Georgia, Vanderbilt and Louisiana-Monroe).
At DuPont Manual High School, Burton excelled as a quarterback and safety. He earned first-team All-State from the Associated Press and the Louisville Courier-Journal and was named to the Lexington Herald-Leader "Class of the Commonwealth" listing of the top-22 seniors in the state during his senior year. He was the sixth-ranked prospect in Kentucky by Super Prep, ranking fifth in the state and among the nation's top fifty defensive backs, according to Rivals.com and Prep Star. He also added All-County and All-District honors as a junior and senior.
The MVP of the Kentucky/Tennessee HS All-Star Game in the summer of 2003, Burton helped his school reach the Class AAAA state playoffs four consecutive seasons. He started the last three of his four seasons with the team, lining up mostly at quarterback on offense, although he did see some action as a receiver, running back, and kick returner.
Burton carried the ball 274 times for 1,634 yards (6.0-yard average) and 25 touchdowns during his career. He completed 81 of 226 passes (35.8%) for 1,605 yards and 17 scores. He also recorded 98 tackles, along with 30 pass deflections and 10 interceptions, returning two of those picks for touchdowns, adding another score on a punt return. "Keenan has the quickest first step I've seen in a long time," said Manual High coach Joe Nichols. "He has really deceptive speed and great hands."
Burton also lettered in track, competing in the 400- and 800-meter dashes, 4x200-, 4x400-, and 4x800-meter relays, the long jump, and the triple-jump. He competed in the state meet in all three relays and both jumps. He was a member of the school's student council and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Burton enrolled at Kentucky in 2003, turning down scholarship offers from Northwestern, Indiana, Marshall, Louisville, Miami (Ohio) and Boston College. The son of former Morehead State football and track participant, Ed Burton, Keenan Burton earned Knoxville News-Sentinel Freshman All-Southeastern Conference honors that season. In 12 games, he made five starts at split end. He ranked fifth on the team with 20 receptions for 221 yards (11.1-yard average) and a pair of touchdowns, with 11 catches...
-04-27-2008, 12:19 PM
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