Tag: Jermaine Burton

Jermaine Burton to rep Bengals at NFLPA Rookie Premiere

Jermaine Burton steps into the spotlight for the Bengals.

Popular Cincinnati Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton will be one of the names on hand at the NFLPAs annual rookie premiere in Los Angeles.

As reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, 40 rookies leaguewide were invited and Burton will be the only rep on hand for the Bengals.

With names like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. set to attend, it says something about the third-round pick Burton’s popularity that he would get an invite, too.

Burton has a chance to contribute alongside the likes of the biggest invited names if he can win the starting job in the offense alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Here is a look at the full invite list for the event, which takes place on May 16-19:

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Bengals took ‘heightened risk’ with 2024 draft class, per NFL exec

An executive says the Bengals rolled the dice on a few of their draft picks.

During the 2024 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals took some high-upside gambles that were a little out of character for the team, as we noted in draft grades.

That was apparent right in the first round when the team took Amarius Mims, gambling on his massive upside despite his getting just eight starts at Georgia.

Later, it became a full-blown trend with electric Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton in the third round despite the well-documented character concerns. And again later in the fourth round with the alluring upside of tight end Erick All despite the medical red flags.

It’s a theme starting to make the rounds elsewhere, with an anonymous NFL executive telling The Athletic’s Mike Sando the following about Cincinnati’s draft class: “I do think there is a heightened risk aspect to their picks. Jenkins offsets the risk some. He is going to be really solid. Amarius Mims is talented, and when he plays, he’s good, but eight career starts?”

Another executive pointed out that Mims could technically “redshirt” this year if Trent Brown can stay healthy at right tackle, which could act as a sort of counterbalance against the risk.

More interesting was yet another executive talking about Burton.

“Burton is going to be a sneaky good player,” an exec told Sando. “He’s fast, he’s strong after the catch, he has a little dog to him. They do a good job getting those types of players established.”

The Bengals are banking on all aspects of their program under Zac Taylor to make sure the gambles pay off. If it does, these are the sorts of moves that help contention windows stay as a wide as possible.

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Bengals WR Jermaine Burton addresses past incidents: ‘I moved on from that’

Jermaine Burton took questions about his past and talked about his connection with T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

The Cincinnati Bengals used the first of their two third-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft to select Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton with the No. 80 overall choice.

Burton has a checkered past involving incidents both on and off the field when he lost his cool, which is likely a reason why someone with his talent was still available when the Bengals were choosing in the third round.

Drafting a player with multiple incidents like those creates some risk, but Burton does seem to think he has moved on from them and has become a better person.

“It was something I had to move past. It was a very emotional, passionate game,” Burton said when asked about an incident in which he appeared to hit a female fan moments after a game against Tennessee in 2022. “A lot was on the line throughout the season, and I moved on from that and learned from situations like that. We played LSU two weeks later and the same thing happened, and I was one of the first guys back in the locker room, so I clearly separated myself and understood what was at stake and didn’t want to take the opportunity for granted.”

Burton does have a small connection with Cincinnati since he was trained by former Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh. It was Housh himself who announced that the team would be taking Burton during the draft.

“It’s honestly amazing having T.J. train me the past few years, even going into college,” Burton said. “Working with him is honestly great. Just to know his history, his background with the game of football, his knowledge on it and to see the way he thinks. The way he puts it into the drills, the way he talks to you and his terminology, it really helps me. We also developed a relationship to the point where we talked about other things — just life things and a lot of maturity and growth.”

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What Joe Burrow texted Jermaine Burton after Bengals drafted WR

Joe Burrow hit up his newest weapon during the NFL draft.

New Cincinnati Bengals wideout Jermaine Burton didn’t need to wait long to hear from quarterback Joe Burrow.

Let the third-round pick dubbed a steal of the draft tell it, Burrow had Burton’s number and texted him not long after the Bengals called his name during the 2024 NFL draft.

Here’s Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com capturing the moment, plus Burton’s ties to a guy Bengals fans know as Housh:

“It’s Joey B. Whenever you’re around, hit me up and we’ll get some work.”

Burton, going back to work some more with former Bengals Pro Bowler T.J. Houshmandzadeh in California, also can’t wait to hook up with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Burton has made it clear that he’s ready to link up with everyone and get to work this summer, which is good — he could be the third wideout on the field alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins by the time the season starts.

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Bengals’ Jermaine Burton sounds open to jersey No. 3 to complete ‘513’ trio

Bengals fans might finally get their “513” at WR.

Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton might be the “3” that finally makes the “513” happen for fans.

After Tee Higgins changed his jersey to No. 5 last year, fans pointed out that, alongside Ja’Marr Chase’s No. 1, the cast of weapons at wideout was one No. 3 away from making Cincinnati’s “513” area code.

Tyler Boyd, though, wasn’t having any of it and stuck with his No. 83 last season.

Burton, though? He happened to wear No. 3 in college before becoming what many have described as the steal of the draft for the Bengals.

While Burton isn’t guaranteed to get the number with the Bengals, he certainly sounds open to the idea — and even pointed out that the numbers added together equal Joe Burrow’s No. 9 — as captured in footage from Fox 19’s Joe Danneman:

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WATCH: Highlights of Bengals’ Jermaine Burton in college

Some highlights of the newest Bengals weapon.

The Cincinnati Bengals thrilled fans in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft with the selection of Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton.

One look at Burton’s stats or highlights makes it easy to see why.

Burton was a staple of SEC ball last year with splash plays as he averaged better than 20 yards per catch. And now, fans get to watch those highlights wondering just how well he’ll fit in a Joe Burrow-directed offense alongside fellow wideouts Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.

Here’s a look at some of Burton’s best highlights and film right after the team made him the 80th overall pick:

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Former Alabama WR Jermaine Burton drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals

Former Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton selected by the Cincinnati Bengals

Former Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton has been selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft with the 80th pick. He joins a talented young offense headlined by a pair of former LSU Tigers, Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase.

In the 2023 season, he totaled 798 yards and eight touchdowns on 39 receptions. Burton has the ability to get open deep and create big plays in the passing game.

Burton is one of the more underappreciated prospects in the 2024 draft class and will be a solid weapon for Burrow and the Bengals which should have one of the top offenses in the NFL this season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Burton as he begins his professional career in the 2024 NFL season.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Instant analysis of Bengals picking Jermaine Burton in the third round

Instant analysis after the Bengals make a pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals, as expected, addressed the wide receiver position rather early in the 2024 NFL draft.

Cincinnati did this with the first of its two third-round picks at No. 80 overall, grabbing Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton.

Burton perhaps wasn’t the first name on the lists of fans, but his 6’0″, 196-pound frame with 4.45-second speed and production were surely alluring to Bengals scouts.

So, too, was Burton’s eight touchdowns while leading the Crimson Tide in receiving last year, averaging better than 20 yards per catch.

While NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein did compare Burton to Kenny Stills, he assigned him a Round 5 draft projection:

While the catch totals and yardage weren’t necessarily prolific, Burton’s tape is very appealing. He has pretty good size and plays bigger than he measures. He can fight through press, get physical at the break point and carve out space on 50/50 balls. Burton wasn’t asked to run an extended route tree, but he has the traits and ball skills to work all three levels against NFL cornerbacks. He caught a touchdown pass every 5.7 grabs during his college career, but he would have scored even more if not for some mistimed throws when he had opened the window wide. Burton’s athletic profile and ball skills create confidence that he can become a solid WR2/3 in the league.

Burton very much aligns with the team’s desire to get faster now. That explains the lack of a re-up with Tyler Boyd in free agency, as Burton is a guy they can use on the field alongside Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase to help keep defenses honest deep down the field.

Given his limited route tree in college and need for development, Burton is also a nice fit because he wouldn’t have to take over as a possible No. 2 wideout in 2025 — assuming Tee Higgins even leaves.

While it’s notable that the team drafted Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones last year, too, Burton feels like he could break into the base offense more quickly. And even if he doesn’t, reliable depth at the position has been an issue.

If nothing else, while Burton won’t get praised across the board as a good value, he goes a long way toward fixing that problem of non-Chase wideouts being unable to get open reliably.

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Bengals select Alabama WR Jermaine Burton in third round, 80th overall

The Bengals have made their pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The 80th overall pick, Burton averaged 20.5 yards per catch last season with eight touchdowns and ran a 4.45-second time in the 40-yard dash.

Despite drafting two wideouts last year, the Bengals hit on the area again with Burton after losing Tyler Boyd to free agency and the question mark around the future of Tee Higgins with the team after this upcoming season.

The Bengals addressed the trenches on both sides of the ball with their first two picks in the draft. In Round 1, they grabbed Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims, then followed that up at 49th overall with Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins.

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Packers hosting Alabama WR Jermaine Burton on top 30 pre-draft visit

The Green Bay Packers are hosting Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton on a top 30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers are hosting Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton on a top 30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft. Burton posted a photo from Lambeau Field in Green Bay on his official Instagram account on Monday.

Teams are allowed to host up to 30 prospects on visits ahead of the draft. Packers Wire is tracking all the reported visits here.

Burton, a Georgia transfer, caught 72 passes for 1,338 yards and 14 touchdowns over 23 games with Alabama over the last two seasons. He had 39 catches for a career-high and team-high 798 yards and eight scores while leading the SEC in yards per catch (20.5) in 2023.

Per Pro Football Focus, Burton had 11 catches on passes thrown over 20 yards last season and had an average depth of target of 20.2 yards. He also didn’t have a drop in 2023. Burton lined up both out wide and in the slot but was mostly a perimeter receiver.

Adding in his production from two seasons at Georgia, Burton finished his collegiate career with 132 catches for 2,376 yards and 23 touchdowns with an 18.0 per catch average.

Burton (6-0, 196) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds, hit 38.5″ in the vertical leap and covered 11-1 in the broad jump at the NFL Scouting Combine. His Relative Athletic Score is 9.09 out of 10.0.

Burton averaged 2.75 yards per route run and caught over 50 percent of his contested targets in 2023.

Pro Football Focus ranks Burton as the No. 52 overall prospect in the draft class. The Packers are well-stocked at wide receiver, so would Brian Gutekunst consider using one of their first three picks on the position?