Northwest’s J.R. Burns Lands Preseason All-American Nod

Photo courtesy of Northwest Sports Information

As the defending national champion Northwest Rangers turn their attention to the 2016 season-opener, a little over three weeks away, the team has seen one of its own bring more attention to the program.

Sophomore center J.R. Burns, who started in 10 games a year ago, has been named to the College Football America 2016 Yearbook JUCO Starting Lineup, CFA’s version of an All-America team.

Burns helped lead an offensive line unit that ranked second in the NJCAA in total offense (5,770 yards) and ninth nationally in yards-per-game (480.8). He also blocked for an All-American running back and quarterback en route to a conference and national title.

Out of Corinth High School, Burns is rated as a 2-star prospect by Rivals and was featured in The Lemming Report as one of the top offensive linemen in Mississippi. He was an all-state and all-division selection his junior and senior years, north team captain in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game and Mississippi Gridiron First and Second Team nod in 4A.

Northwest is one of 19 JUCO programs with players on this year’s Starting Lineup, a second consecutive season with at least one selection. Justin Crawford, last year’s NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year, was named to the 2015 CFA Starting Lineup.

The College Football America 2016 Yearbook features more than 930 college football teams from the United States and Canada over the course of more than 300 striking, full-color pages. That includes every team from the NCAA (FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III), NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA and Canada Interuniversity Sport (CIS). It also includes updates on club football, one-year postgraduate prep/sports academies and Mexican college football, along with dozens of action shots and stadium photos.

The print edition is available online via Amazon.com and other major retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. Additionally, an iBooks version for iPads and iPhones is available through Apple’s iTunes bookstore and the iBooks app. A Digital PDF version is available through Lulu.com and viewable on any tablet reader or computer that will support Adobe Reader.

2016 College Football America Starting Lineup
Offense
QB – Cole Brownholtz, Sierra
RB – Isaiah Patrick, East Mississippi
RB – Deion Walker, Garden City
WR – Brandon Martin, Mississippi Gulf Coast
WR – Mike Wilson, Long Beach City
TE – Jeremy Patton, Arizona Western
OL – Elliot Baker, CCSF
OL – Ronald Rudd, Chaffey
OL – Badara Traore, ASA
OL – John Vaka, Diablo Valley
C – J.R. Burns, Northwest Mississippi        
PK – Joshua Rowland, Mississippi Gulf Coast
KR – Elijah Cunningham, Santa Barbara City

Defense
DL – Isaiah Buggs, Mississippi Gulf Coast
DL – Deion Pope, Copiah-Lincoln
DL – Teair Tart-Spencer, ASA
DL – Kamilo Tongamoa, Merced
LB – Gary Johnson, Dodge City
LB – Troy Lowe, Merced
LB – Eldridge Thompson, Coffeyville
DB – Jhavonte Dean, Blinn
DB – Deante Fortenberry, CCSF
DB – Octavious Morgan, Butler
DB – Keisean Nixon, Arizona Western
P – Joel Whitford, Santa Barbara City
PR – Daniel Ruffin, San Joaquin Delta

Courtesy of Kevin Maloney and Northwest Sports Information

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