Vanderbilt Football Picks Up a Four-Star Commitment From WR Recruit Carlos Burse

James Franklin got bad news last week when one of his biggest 2013 recruits, linebacker Nigel Bowden, backed off from his commitment due to interest from Georgia Tech.

In the past losing a four-star player would have been devastating to this team's morale. This year, it only took a week and a half for Franklin and his staff to fill that void.

The Commodores got a big commitment for 2013 when Alpharetta, Georgia wide receiver Carlos Burse announced that he'll be attending Vanderbilt next fall. The 6'2", 195 lb wideout declared his intentions earlier today on Twitter. He chose Vandy over programs like Florida, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. If his commitment holds, he stands to be Vanderbilt's highest-rated WR recruit in school history.

His decision bolsters a recruiting class that is filled with playmakers. He is the team's second-highest rated recruit by both Rivals.com and ESPN, falling behind a quarterback in each site's rankings. He'll have the opportunity to grow in a class that will include players like Jonathan McCrary and Chad Kanoff behind center. He will also joins three-star recruits Gerald Perry and Latevius Rayford as Vandy's wideout corps of the future.

The news was enough to re-establish Vanderbilt's spot in the early 2013 recruiting rankings, pushing them up to 20th according to Rivals. Unfortunately, that still puts them 10th overall in the ultra-competitive SEC. Burse's commitment gives Franklin and his staff 10 high-level players waiting in the wings for next season.