Preston Burnett Preston Burnett 5'10" | 196 lbs | RB Gettysburg | 2026 State PA is one of the best running backs in the State. He has always had the speed, physicality, and the ability to make defenders miss, but his patience as a runner has greatly improved. His ability to wait a split second for a hole to open up and then hit it is impressive. Then, when he gets into the 2nd level, his physical traits take over because he is difficult to tackle. He has good speed, and when you combine that with his ability to make defenders miss and you have an excellent player.

Every football coach in America wants speed at the running back position and Preston Burnett Preston Burnett 5'10" | 196 lbs | RB Gettysburg | 2026 State PA has it. I saw him score on a 99-yard touchdown run where he hit the hole, and then he was gone to the end zone. Don’t be fooled. He is not just a speed demon; he is a complete back who does an excellent job of making defenders miss. He also runs for tough yards in between the tackles. Burnett is a complete running back for Gettysburg.

Preston Burnett Preston Burnett 5'10" | 196 lbs | RB Gettysburg | 2026 State PA is a good running back in the 2026 class for Gettysburg. In a win over Palmyra, he rushed for 185 and 5 touchdowns. Burnett is a good running back who does a nice job hitting the hole. When he gets into the open field, he has the speed to explode past defenders. Burnett is a good athlete playing running back.

Burnett’s Week Four tape has him carving up a Northern York defense for about 200 yards on the ground. Burnett recorded a TFL, as well as a kick return for a score on top of his rushing yards. Burnett’s sophomore tape had me provide a Division One grade, as Burnett ranked two spots away from the top ten at his position.

Burnett is quiet on socials, yet his Hudl has 3/4 games available to watch early on into the season. Burnett looks comfortable running off-tackle sets out of gun, giving him a half-line read while always keeping a bounce option readily available. Much like years past, Burnett’s lateral agility catches my eye. Burnett can reset a DBs feet with one cut toward the sideline. Phenomenal balance, great accelerator, Burnett is looking better than ever through four/five games. I witnessed Burnett barrel through would-be defenders, this coming between the tackles against Waynesboro HS. The Gettysburg back is garnering top ten consideration from myself.

Preston Burnett Preston Burnett 5'10" | 196 lbs | RB Gettysburg | 2026 State PA is one of the most explosive running backs you will see in the 2026 class. He can do it all from the running back position. I am expecting a big year from him this season. Below is what my colleague Dylan Callaghan-Croley wrote about him earlier this year:

“Burnett had a huge sophomore season for Gettysburg with 241 carries for 1,279 yards and six touchdowns. He had eight games of 100+ yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. He also had 17 receptions for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Burnett has good size at 5-foot-10 and 180-pounds and has the athleticism and speed to go with it. He’s reported a 4.5 forty-yard dash and on film that number does seem quite accurate. Good agility with smooth hips and has a solid second gear. Doesn’t have elite breakaway speed but will win his fair share of foot races. Really excited about how he develops going forward”.