NFL general managers and scouts are showing an interest in NC State star DJ Burns Jr. as the senior forward leads the Wolfpack through the Tournament. Burns, 23, is the of after scoring 29 points in the Elite Eight to help No. 11 NC State get past and into the Final Four. The native has even caught the eye of two-time MVP , with the star praising the lefty's skills. But it is his size which has executives taking notice ahead of the draft later this month. Listed at 6-foot-9, 275 pounds, Burns profiles as an offensive tackle prospect, and those projections are not just hypothetical. Long-time , and scout Jim Nagy shared Monday that "NFL interest in D.J. Burns is a real thing." Fox Sports then reported Monday that several executives are showing interest in the big man, highlighting his footwork. also talked up a future in the NFL for Burns on Monday's " ." He said: "I love the thought that NFL people were like, 'hold the phone.' "We don't know what they're saying about DJ BJ in the NBA, but ... if you're big and can move, there's not a lot of people like you in the world. If you have a dog mentality, which it appears DJ BJ has, that tackle position is certainly (there)." McAfee continued: "At 6-9, now that's big. I don't know how many 6-9 tackles there are, that kind of scares me a little bit actually with how low guys can get right now. But DJ BJ's feet and his agility, his athleticism. He's ripe to make 25, 30 million a year at left tackle in the NFL if he can figure it out." Burns also spoke about his
Football past on the " " last week. "I played up until I got my first
basketball scholarship offer," he shared. "(I played) a little bit of tight end and a little bit of defensive, mostly defensive end. (At tight end) I could block when needed, I'm strong enough to block, but I could also catch the ball. The new NFL season is nearly upon is - and Daily Mirror US Sports will be bringing you all the latest news, analysis and interviews along the way! From our dedicated team of writers, we'll have you covered with
BREAKING news and exclusive insight delivered straight to your inbox. However, Burns acknowledged: "But I didn't really play football past middle school, to be honest. I got my first offer (from Winthrop) in 8th grade." That was the same year as his growth spurt. He continued: "I'd say I came in at 6th grade at like 6-2, randomly, in that year, and by 8th grade, I was 6-8. I've only really grown one to two inches since then. I'd probably say right after my freshman year of college (I filled out), really." But he hopes to play in the
NBA before anything. "It's definitely the main goal," Burns said. "But I try to stay focused on the moment."