Treylon Burks
WR – Arkansas
6’3” 225lbs
Age: 21 (22 in March)
Notable College Production:
Summary:
Treylon Burks is a big-bodied, physical receiver with great run after the catch ability. He made big plays in both the vertical passing game and the screen game at Arkansas where he was used in a variety of roles, including out of the backfield at times. Burks checks all the boxes as an explosive athlete who posted very good production in multiple seasons against SEC defenses and should be a high draft pick. He will need to refine his route running to be a truly dominant player in the NFL but that shouldn’t prevent him from producing right away. Expect Burks to be one of the top rookie receivers selected in fantasy drafts this year.
Full Report:
Burks stands out for his combination of exceptional physical traits and positional versatility. An athletic marvel with a rare size-speed combo, he should have no problem competing against NFL defensive backs. He showed the ability to line up all over the formation and made big plays downfield, in the screen game, and on jet sweeps (he had 112 yards and 1 TD on 14 carries as a junior). That kind of versatility could be extremely valuable for fantasy if he lands on a team that can scheme him touches in open space where he is a nightmare to tackle. Burks has very good hands (the man wears size 5XL gloves for goodness sake), routinely makes catches away from his body, and adjusts well to off target throws. After accounting for nearly 40% of Arkansas’s receiving yards and 50% of the receiving TDs in his final season, Burks profiles as the kind of guy that can be the number one option for a team early in his pro career.
He has room to improve as a route runner due to his tendency to round his cuts and not always accelerate out of the break. He did not show an expansive route tree in college and primarily relied on his physicality to create separation in his routes. That should still work for him to some degree in the NFL but he will need to improve as a route runner to consistently separate against man coverage. Creating separation at the line of scrimmage was not an issue in college because he frequently played in the slot and off the ball. When he did face press coverage he was able to win in a variety of ways and has the speed to burn defenders once he gets a step on them. He also demonstrated good awareness to find soft spots in zone coverage and make himself a big target, which any QB will love.
Overall Burks is a very exciting prospect with the upside to be a big time weapon in the NFL. He has the raw ability to be an impact player early on and should be able to improve the technical aspects of his game with the help of NFL coaching. His best fit would be in an offense that can manufacture touches for him in space and with a quarterback who is willing to trust him in jump ball situations.
