Player Spotlight: DJ Burgess

DJ BURGESS

FORGING HIS OWN PATH AT LAFAYETTE

By JAKE THOMPSON

DJ Burgess is the son of former Ole Miss and NFL great Derrick Burgess, but he is out to make his own way in football and Lafayette is reaping the benefits.

The standout lineman is one of Lafayette’s biggest strengths on defense and the biggest headache for opposing offenses.

“Burgess is, he effects everything we do at practice,” said Lafayette head coach Micheal Fair. “When you run plays against DJ Burgess you need to know where’s lining up. If know if he’s doing that for us I can only hope he’s doing that for opposing offenses, too.”

Linebacker Mario Wilbourn is the team’s returning leading tackler but Burgess is right behind him, making 67 tackles in 2020 and 46 of those were unassisted.

Not only does Burgess seem to know where the ball is at all times, he is able to get to the quarterback before he can get rid of it more times than not. Last season, Burgess led the team in sacks with eight which was two ahead of Wilbourn’s six. “He’s always been explosive, but his body now is allowing him to do things that he couldn’t do a couple years ago,. He’s slimmed up, probably 250 pounds and 6-3. A quick twitch and a great jump off the line of scrimmage. But, he’s really honed in on some skills with his hands and some things that he’s doing with his pad level that very few at this level get to. It doesn’t hurt he’s got a sack leader as a father.”

Playing on the line, either on defense or offense, every day in practice and for at least 12 Friday nights in the fall is a tall order. That task does not seem to deter Burgess, who seemingly gets stronger as the season progresses.

“He’s always been explosive, but his body now is allowing him to do things that he couldn’t do a couple years ago,” Fair said. “He’s slimmed up, probably 250 pounds and 6-3. A quick twitch and a great jump off the line of scrimmage. But, he’s really honed in on some skills with his hands and some things that he’s doing with his pad level that very few at this level get to. It doesn’t hurt he’s got a sack leader as a father.”

Burgess’ father played defensive line at Ole Miss and led the team in sacks with 9.5 his senior season in 2000.

Burgess was also named to the First Team All-SEC that season.

From there, Derrick played in the NFL from 2001 to 2010 on four different teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected him in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft as the 63rd overall pick.

Having a father with success at the high school, collegiate and professional ranks is something not every kid has the luxury of having. While Burgess will bend his dad’s ear for advice time to time, he is also trying to make a name for himself on his own terms.

“He lets me do my thing, but at the same time in certain situations I’ll ask him (for advice),” Burgess said. “For the most part, I’m just trying to do it myself.”

Burgess is set to continue doing things his way on Saturdays next Fall in Hattiesburg. The Lafayette senior has already committed to Southern Mississippi to play for Will Hall.