Miami CB Artie Burns, citing family, declaring for NFL draft

Miami defensive back Artie Burns is going to the NFL.

Burns had six interceptions in 2015. He sent a letter to reporters Monday detailing his decision. And when you read it, it's easy to see why he's turning pro.

Burns' mother, Dana Smith, died in late October after she suffered a heart attack. Burns missed the team's following game, the miracle win against Duke. He played in Miami's 12 other games and had 36 tackles and five pass breakups.

Following Smith's death, Miami started a GoFundMe page for Burns and his family for expenses. The page raised over $40,000. Smith died shortly after Miami's loss to Clemson. Former Miami coach Al Golden, after being fired just a day before, visited Smith at the hospital before her death.

Burns was a second-team All-ACC selection. He had two interceptions vs. Virginia Tech and, per Miami, it was the first time a Hurricane had more than one interception in a game since 2013.

Burns is a native of Miami. He was a four-star recruit in the class of 2013 and the No. 15 cornerback in the country according to Rivals.

For more Miami news, visit CaneSport.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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