Pop Quiz: What do you do with a player that’s built like a linebacker–runs with legitimate safety speed–and has two years left to develop?
Answer: Put him on the field. Duh.

Clearwater Central Catholic’s Amari Burney is going to be a name that’s mentioned frequently throughout the area once it’s all said-and-done, but for now–let’s get up to “speed” on the MVP from the safeties at Ignite. Aside from being everywhere on the field during the showcase, clocking a 4.5-40yd dash at 6-feet-1, 200-pounds should be enough to raise a few eyebrows. If that doesn’t, consider the fact that he stepped up his contribution and then some this season for the record-setting Marauders Football program after a freshman season that would be the career stats for many players at his position.

Barney’s first season in 2014 saw him put up big numbers for just a ninth grader. He posted 73 tackles from the position with five of those tackles for losses, added two sacks, 19 QB hurries and a caused fumble for his squad. This past season, Burney was a man-child from the spot putting up 91 tackles–73 of those solo–while picking off two passes–one of those for a touchdown, breaking up another 21 passes from opposing QB’s, recovering five fumbles–one of those for a touchdown–and causing two fumbles. Just in case you needed him to, he also caught 20 passes for 404 yards on the offensive side of the ball for a total of seven touchdowns.

Needless to say, the future is bright at the spot for CCC for at least a few years to come and with Burney hitting the weight room and developing his skill set even further, it’s about to get fun over in Pinellas County watching this young man come to work.