Every year it seems like a handful of guys go from fringe top 50 pick to top 10 picks. All it takes is one huge game to be put on the map. Last year it was DeVonta Smith, the year before was Joe Burrow. This year it seems like our riser, resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas. His name is Treylon Burks.
The Razorbacks wide receiver has helped lead the team from the dregs of the SEC in 2020 (3-7) to a top 10 ranked team. Knocking off the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies in the last three weeks. Setting up a top 10 showdown against the Georgia Bulldogs to kick off the SEC conference slate of games.
If you saw Treylon Burks on the street you would think he was a linebacker. At 6’3 225 pounds he is a physically imposing presence, reminiscent of Terrell Owens or D.K Metcalf. I know it’s cliche to make fun of hand size in the scouting process, but this is one area he doesn’t lack. His hands are so freakishly large that he needs custom 4XL gloves to wear on game day. At the highest level of football every centimetre matters, having those huge hands to accompany his long arms is a terrific advantage to have at the catch point.
This could not have been any closer 👀
Was this a catch or nah? pic.twitter.com/FxfTVwqmPF
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 25, 2021
He uses every bit of that 6’3 225lb frame to body up smaller defensive backs. Turning every 50/50 ball into a 70/30 ball in his favor. He has impressive vertical ability even though he doesn’t need it most times. High pointing the ball and having the strength to go get it is such an important asset when so many plays come down to who wants it more.
He isn’t just some huge lumbering guy relegated to red-zone jump balls. He is deceptively athletic for a man of his stature. He takes tremendously long strides and runs with an unexpected fluidity. That size and speed combo makes him a handful going across the middle or in the screen game. He rarely goes down on first contact, fighting for every yard.
Something that often goes unnoticed in a wide receivers game is their ability to block. Even some of the bigger wide receivers show an unwillingness to mix it up, he does not have that problem. He blocks with a mean streak that would make Hines Ward smile. He uses that big frame and massive hands to lock onto his assignment and drive them wherever he wants them to go. Qualities like that translate to the next level in a big way.
His versatility also can not go without notice. He has lined up outside, in the slot and even out of the backfield with success. He is comfortable going in motion, or lining up one on one against the oppositions best corner. Teams love that type of flexibility. A man with his size and speed getting matched up on a safety or linebacker in single coverage could make an offensive coordinator drool, and an opposing defensive coordinator sob.
Now it’s not all great, no player is without flaws. Tom Brady is the greatest football player of all time and seems to run with concrete blocks through molasses. But what matters is the things Burks doesn’t do well can be coached.
He has a tendency to drop some balls he gets his hands on. Most, if not all of the drops can be chalked up to concentration drops. He has been the primary source of offense for the Razorbacks these last two years so he is always looking to turn every play into a huge gain. Wanting to get every yard possible is an admirable quality, but you have to secure the ball before you can gain yards after the catch.
Secondly, his route tree leaves a lot to be desired. You would expect a three year starter to have aArkansas manufactures a lot of touches for their young star; so he isn’t asked to find the soft point in a zone coverage or open up free space on a rub route. This can also be worked on in the film room and on the practice field.
As of right now his stats do not jump off the page, but he also doesn’t have the best quarterback play in the world. He has succeeded and made a name for himself despite that. The true definition of a one man wrecking crew.
If you follow the talking heads that cover the NFL draft, you will see Burks mocked anywhere from the late first round to the mid second round. I myself have been high on Burks ranking him as my WR4 and 21st overall prospect in my preseason big board. By the time I update that big board at the halfway point of the season, he will be much higher.
If Burks rises to the occasion against the #2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs vaunted defense, he will be firmly inside of the top 20; and possibly WR1 in the 2022 draft. Any team with a need at wide receiver will find Burks as intriguing as any prospect in the country. I can only hope my Philadelphia Eagles are in striking distance to use one of their many high draft picks to pair him with DeVonta Smith.