Starting Lineup: Amier Burdine has ‘everything you look for’ in a player
To recognize the top players in Berks football MikeDragoSports.com has selected the “Starting Lineup,” a preseason All-Berks team that includes the 12 top linemen, backs, receivers, linebackers and specialists.
“Starting Lineup” is presented by GoBigRecruiting.com.
Players were selected based on past performance, expected performance this season and college potential. Two-way players were given special consideration. One player will be introduced each day, in random order (the players are not ranked 1 thru 12). Former NFL lineman and recruiting expert Ross Tucker offers comments on each selection.
Amier Burdine, Reading High
| 6-1 | 180 | Senior | QB/S |
BACKSTORY: Burdine has earned his reputation as a defensive stopper. That’s come on the basketball court where he played a key role off the bench helping the Red Knights win a PIAA Class 6A basketball championship in 2021 and a District 3 title last season.
In football circles he’s known more as a quarterback, but his future may be on the defensive side in that sport, too. He was named the top defensive back at a prospects camp at West Point earlier in the summer and figures to be one of the top safeties in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League this season.
“He’s just a very natural kid (back there),” said Reading coach Troy Godinet. “He has great feet, a great understanding of the game, he has ball skills.
“He’s a physical kid, he’s not soft. He wants to come down and make tackles; he’s gonna get off of blocks.
“And he’s gonna bring it every day: The energy, the intensity, the speed, the pursuit. Everything you look for the on the defensive side of the ball, he brings.”
On the offensive side, too. He’s fast, smart and a true dual threat running out of Reading’s Shotgun Spread.
He showed off his skills right away as a freshman. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown and threw for a score against Kutztown in his first game. He ran for 116 yards against Oxford and passed for 154 yards against Daniel Boone. And he threw a game-winning 22-yard touchdown pass against Twin Valley.
“I was nervous (at first),” he said of the debut against Kutztown. “I just touched the ball and I was fine ever since.”
Well, not exactly fine. He’s had a hard time staying on the field. He was knocked out of the Red Knights’ first game of their spring 2021 season — the fall 2020 was canceled due to COVID — with a concussion. Last season he didn’t make it that far: He was lost for the season with a broken collarbone in a preseason scrimmage.
Burdine has worlds of talent and all the intangibles to go with it but so far his varsity time has been limited to his freshman season, when he started several game at quarterback, threw five touchdown passes and scored four TDs.
He has no college offers yet because he doesn’t have any recent game film to display. Once he does the offers figure to start flowing his way.
“His ability to bounce back allowed him to become a better football player,” Godinet said.
“It made him a stronger individual. I don’t know a lot of kids who could battle the adversity he’s faced and have (the will to) get stronger and get faster and get bigger and become a better football player. It’s great to see.”
The young Red Knights will will lean heavily on Burdine’s leadership.
“You have somebody who understands what it takes to win and has experience winning,” Godinet said. “The kids look up to him and he’s done a great job of leading the younger guys, (showing them) what it takes, and they follow him.
“That’s really helping the competitiveness of our practices, because he holds them to a standard to be the best them in the weight room, on the field or in the community.”
Burdine has strong ties to Reading High and to its past successes in both football and basketball. His father, Dennis “Fatz” Burdine, was a top player and basketball teammate of Donyell Marshall.
His brother, Zhykier, known as “Meme,” twice led the Knights in scoring. Cousins Jordan and Trenity Burdine each topped 1,000 career points. His stepfather, Sam Bryant, was an All-State defensive back at Reading High who went on to play at the University of Pittsburgh.
ROLE: Starting quarterback and safety; leader on offense, defense and off the field.
COLLEGE PROSPECTS: Getting looks from Stony Brook, Elon, Delaware State, Lafayette, Howard and other FCS programs. College coaches like him for his all-around athletic ability, his leadership qualities and the fact that he’s young for his grade.
TUCKER’S TAKE: “Ideal zone read QB who can throw effectively but is especially dangerous as a runner in the open field. College future likely on defensive side of the ball as college coaches like his combination of instincts in coverage and willingness to be physical.”
Starting Lineup
| Amier Burdine | Reading High | QB/S |
| Anthony Caccese | Exeter | T/DT |
| Drew Eisenhower | Wyomissing | HB/S/KR |
| Cam Jones | Wilson | WR/CB/KR/LS |
| Josiah Jordan | Berks Catholic | HB/CB/KR |
| Matt Kramer | Wyomissing | FB/OLB |
| Ayden Martin | Gov. Mifflin | RB/S |
| Delsin McNeil | Gov. Mifflin | QB/S |
| Xander Menapace | Hamburg | QB |
| Lucas Palange | Exeter | G/LB/DE |
| Joey Schlaffer | Exeter | QB/TE/WR/DE |
| Jven Williams | Wyomissing | G/T/DT |
The “Starting Lineup” team was selected by MikeDragoSports.com, with input from Berks coaches and Ross Tucker, co-founder and CEO of GoBigRecruiting.com and a former NFL lineman. Tucker, who played at Wyomissing, has deep contacts throughout college football and remains dialed into Berks football.
After the “Starting Lineup” team has been announced MikeDragoSports.com will present the “Berks Watch List,” which will include 50 more other top players to watch this season.
