The Razorback star is expected to be a Day 1 selection by a team looking for a possession receiver that has the speed and ability to excel anywhere on the field. He came out of high school ranked as the No. 11 wideout in the country and elected to remain in Arkansas despite being heavily recruited by many schools. He landed on the All-SEC freshman team.
Burks led Arkansas in receiving yards for all three years and just last season caught 11 touchdowns – no other team receiver scored more than twice. He’s big at 6-3 and 225 pounds and has deceptive speed even if he timed slower than expected at the NFL Combine. Burks is a physical receiver with hands so large that he has custom-made gloves. He consistently tacked on yards after the catch and has the strength and size to break tackles and extend catches.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 225 pounds
40 time: 4.55 seconds
Burks was All-SEC last season and was on the Biletnikoff and Maxwell Award watchlist. He’s been a true No. 1 receiver in college and projects the same potential for the NFL.
Table: Treylon Burks NCAA stats (2019-2021)
| Year | Team | Games | Catch | Yards | Avg. | TD | Runs | Yards | TD | Total Yards | Total TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ARK | 11 | 29 | 475 | 16.4 | 0 | 9 | 35 | 0 | 510 | 0 |
| 2020 | ARK | 9 | 51 | 820 | 16.1 | 7 | 15 | 75 | 0 | 895 | 7 |
| 2021 | ARK | 12 | 66 | 1104 | 16.7 | 11 | 14 | 112 | 1 | 1216 | 12 |
Pros
- Big-framed physical wide receiver that can make contested catches and break tackles
- Fits into the new style of NFL receiver – can catch and run as a versatile athlete
- Powerful core and muscular upper body that can handle press coverage
- Huge hands – 9 7/8 inches wide were tops at the combine for wideouts. Can make the highlight-reel catches
- Can play a possession role over the middle but also excels as a deep threat where his size and body control gets him above defenders
- Great burst and fluid moves with deceptive speed
- Solid downfield blocker with the size to move defenders
- Offers a big target with a huge catch radius
- Moves and cuts very well for his size.
Cons
- Mostly played in slot and ran limited route tree
- Lacks speed – 40-time at the combine was a disappointment
- Had concentration issues that led to some drops
- Needs to work on route running for crisper cuts
Fantasy outlook
Burks is likely to be a first-round selection in the NFL draft and presents an intriguing set of skills and potential, while lacking the speed to make him more of a “can’t miss” choice. He was expected to turn in a 40-time in the low 4.4s but only managed 4.55. Still fast enough to be a factor in the deeper passing game, but not quite to the level of previously drafted big receivers that also offered more speed.
He’s also more likely to start slower and needs some adjustment time to the NFL after his more limited route tree. His success at Arkansas came from the slot where he didn’t deal with defenders at the line as much, and he played with marginally talented quarterbacks. He was the only receiver that mattered last year, and his size allowed him to benefit from being the primary target when they did pass.
Still, he has the potential to be a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL. Offenses love a big target with adequate speed and baseball mitts for hands. His slower 40-time was only a disappointment because he had played much faster, and the expectation was that he had elite potential. But his 40-time was right on par with two other big receivers – Mike Evans and Davante Adams.
Where he lands will have an obvious impact on his first-year outlook, but he is expected to be a mid to late first round pick. That means that he has a shot at playing on any team. He was the best receiver in every year that he played at Arkansas. He may face far better defenses in the NFL, but he’ll also likely have a much better offense around him.