It’s already been talked about a lot as we here at NFL Mocks have gotten into summer scouting, but it’s worth reiterating that the 2022 NFL Draft class, at the wide receiver position, likely won’t have the depth of 2020 or the elite talent of the 2021 group.
Still, there will be good playmakers in this class. Chris Olave is a smart, sound player who has great skills as a deep threat. John Metchie III is very technical as a route runner. George Pickens (when healthy), Garrett Wilson, and Justyn Ross all might be potential top players in the draft with strong seasons.
Speaking of WR1 upside, there’s another playmaker in the SEC who has great physical skills and traits to become a top receiver at the next level. That player is Arkansas Razorbacks’ receiver Treylon Burks.
Treylon Burks has the skill set to bring WR1 upside to the 2022 NFL Draft.
Coming out of high school, Burks was rated a four star prospect and was the number 11 receiver in the nation in his recruiting class. In his junior season, Burks caught 45 passes for 1,090 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also ran for over 900 yards as well. As a senior, Burks did a bit of everything, catching four touchdowns, throwing for three more, and also tallied 17 tackles and a sack on defense!
Despite just catching 29 passes for 475 yards as a freshman, Burks did average over 16 yards per reception. His numbers jumped up in 2020, as Burks caught 51 passes for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. Burks also ran for 75 yards as well.
His game is very intriguing, so let’s dive deeper on potential 2022 NFL Draft prospect Treylon Burks with this scouting report!
Strengths of Burks’ Game
The first thing that jumps out for Treylon Burks is the play speed he has for his size (listed at 6’3″, 225 pounds). The straight line speed he has to threaten vertically pre-catch, the speed he maintains through the catch point, and the speed to threaten angles after the catch is astounding. Burks is a very good athlete for his size as well, and shows off very fluid movement skills for the position.
At the catch point, Burks possesses a great combination of traits to dominate in this area. He has a big catch radius, and is excellent at attacking the ball when it’s in the air. Burks shows great body control and sideline/end zone awareness to secure the ball and stay in bounds. He also tracks the football adequately and can make late adjustments to throws that are off target.
After the catch, Burks shows off that speed, but also great burst and toughness. He is a threat to score from anywhere on the field with that acceleration, and possesses a great stiff arm along with good balance through contact.
Burks’ versatility is something else to highlight. He has gotten touches in the backfield, on jet motion, quick screens, and down the field. In offenses that maximize the quick passing game and focus on players who can create after the catch, Burks will be able to maximize his skills.
Burks’ physicality also finds its way into his route stems. He’s extremely physical at the top of his stem to create a bigger window for his quarterback, and it gives him more ways to create separation.
Weaknesses in Burks’ Game
So how can Burks improve this season ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft? One thing that stands out is there are some concentration drops on film. Cleaning those up in 2021 will go a long way for Burks.
The elephant in the room, which most who have watched Burks probably noticed, is how much time he spends in the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, in 2019 Burks had 361 snaps in the slot compared to just 16 outside. That number didn’t change a whole lot in his sophomore campaign. Seeing Burks produce on the outside more in 2021 will give teams and evaluators more confidence in his NFL projection.
Something else that is part of that is how he operates with his release game and creating leverage in his stems. Burks gets a ton of free releases in the slot, so seeing how he fares against tighter coverage is another important piece of the puzzle to have figured out ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. Developing more in his route tree will also be important.
Burks’ production to this point has shown he can take advantage of opportunity in a tough SEC against some of the top defenders in the country. As long as he continues to step up in these areas, the confidence in his draft stock will grow.
Final Thoughts/2022 NFL Draft Outlook
For Treylon Burks, the sky is the limit. His combination of size, speed, and athleticism is excellent, and his ability to create after the catch is a monumental trait to have considering his usage so far at Arkansas. The versatility he has as a runner and receiver will draw teams to him, thinking of all the possibilities a versatile player like Burks can do in a well-schemed offense.
But, as many true WR1s in the NFL show, creating separation at the line of scrimmage and consistently throughout a developed route tree is still king. Developing a release package and growing his route tree is imperative for Burks in his junior season. He’s produced to this point against top competition, and it’s time to do it again, this time more consistently on the perimeter.
As far as his current stock for the 2022 NFL Draft goes, it’s hard to not have him near the top of early rankings. His play speed in every aspect of his game is excellent, and his body control at the catch point is very good. What he does post-catch is special, and having versatility only helps him. Right now, he’s on the first round radar because of the traits and movement skills he has for his size.
If Arkansas can continue to give him more opportunities on the perimeter, it could unlock a new part of his game we haven’t seen much of. That could vault him to WR1 in the 2022 NFL Draft class, and affirm all the upside seen in his game.