Treylon Burks, Wide Receiver, Arkansas: 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Arkansas WR Treylon Burks is one of the most electrifying playmakers in the 2022 NFL Draft. Let’s dive into his game in this scouting report.

Profile

Name: Treylon Burks

School: Arkansas

Position: Wide Receiver

DOB: March 23, 2000 (21 years old)

Height*: 6’3”

Weight*: 225 pounds

(*unofficial)

Background

Treylon Burks grew up in Arkansas and eventually went on to star for Warren High School. Burks was a three sport athlete, lettering in baseball and basketball in addition to football. He had a storied high school career, highlighted by this stat line of video game numbers as a junior: 45 catches, 1090 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns through the air. Burks also was a threat in the ground game, adding 936 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns to his outstanding production as a receiver.

Unfortunately for Burks, he spent most of his senior season on the shelf with an ACL injury. This did not impact his pristine four-star rating though, as the likes of LSU, Florida State, and Michigan were battling for a commitment from Burks. Instead, Burks spurned their efforts and chose to follow the footsteps of many Warren HS alumni by signing with the hometown Arkansas Razorbacks.

This paid immediate dividends with Burks being the recipient of nine starts as a true freshman. Along with being the teams special team returner, you could find Burks lined up all over the field on offense. He found his niche as a slot receiver by commonly taking advantage of slower and small defenders. Burks averaged 16.4 yards per reception and finished with 866 all-purpose yards in his inaugural campaign.

In 2020, Burks led the team in catches (51), receiving yards (820), and touchdowns (7) in only nine games. He surpassed the century mark in four of those games, including a stunning performance versus Ole Miss that saw Burks accrue 183 total yards on the day. He was awarded a spot as a member of the All-SEC Second-Team for his efforts. Burks carried this positive momentum over to his third and final season as a Razorback.

He saved his best for last, setting career marks in virtually every category, including: receptions (66), receiving yards (1104), and touchdowns (11). Burks had the best game of his career against the best competition of his career. When Arkansas headed to Tuscaloosa to take on the Nick Saban led Crimson Tide, Burks did everything in his power to pull off the upset. Despite his relentless effort, Arkansas ultimately came up just short in a shootout for the ages. Burks fried the Alabama secondary for 179 yards and two big touchdowns en route to a devastating 42-35 loss to the eventual Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.

With the popularity of fantasy football across America, it is easy to envision Burks becoming an immediate household name if his traits are utilized correctly. Below I point out what those special traits are, while also addressing the parts of his game that he must improve upon to have a successful career at the next level.

2022 NFL Draft Profile

Best Traits

After Catch: Treylon Burks has a rare blend of size and athleticism and he uses this to be a threat with the ball in his hands, and is the best in the 2022 NFL Draft here. He has a catalog of moves that makes the best of defenders trip over their own feet. On top of that, he also runs with a full head of steam and is nearly impossible to bring down in the open. If you are coming after Burks, you better bring some back up with you or you risk being added to his highlight reel. He should have no issues fitting into a modern NFL offense. Expect Burks to go very early in Dynasty leagues.

Speed: Burks isn’t the fastest wide receiver in the draft but when you factor in his near 230 pound frame, he moves his weight as well as any in the class. Once he reaches top speed, he will not be caught from behind. He flexes this speed not only with the ball in tow but also as he is running routes downfield. Burks uses this speed and twitchiness to create space over the middle of the field. There are few people on Earth that can move like Burks does, and none are alongside him in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Versatility: It is unfair to compare anyone to the uniqueness of Deebo Samuel, so unlike every other evaluator out there, I’m not going to do it. Instead, I think Treylon Burks will be the first Treylon Burks. While the similarities are there, Burks is even bigger and has a good chance to surpass Deebo’s 40-yard dash time (4.48). He profiles more as an AJ Brown type, abusing opposing defenses from the slot and completely taking games over. Additionally, he is a threat out of the backfield — which is where the Samuel comparisons are rooted. Burks possesses every trait necessary to fill the gadget role in an offense.

Frame: Burks is as stout as they come at the receiver position. He is bigger than most but doesn’t have any “bad” weight, so conditioning is not a concern. Burks uses his long arms and natural strength to overwhelm defenders as he moves down the field. His aforementioned long arms result in a superb catch radius that he uses well on contested catches.

Contested Catch: Treylon probably won’t break any records in the vertical jump and he is not quite on the level of fellow draft hopeful Drake London when it comes to hauling in jump balls in the 2022 NFL Draft. He more than holds his own in this department, though. It is like Burks has magnets in those oversized hands of his, as he brings in any pass in his vicinity regardless of the threat of a big hit.

Hands: Burks flashes a lot of strength in his hands. You will hear this a number of times during the draft process, but Treylon has some of the biggest hands you will ever see. Don’t believe me? Well, he has to special order his gloves because they don’t stock 5X gloves at any store in his area. He makes the most of it by consistently attacking the ball at its peak and hauling in catches while absorbing contact. There are a decent amount of spectacular catches on Burks resume.

Needs Improvement

Separation: Burks does well separating the farther he gets down the field, due to his excellent speed. Where Burks must improve is on the short-intermediate routes. Because he is a bigger body, he is susceptible to getting his long arms locked up. This will negatively impact his timing on quick hitters and routes of those kind. He must continue improving his release off the line to ensure that he cannot be taken out of plays via press coverage. Burks must prove that he can consistently create enough space to give his quarterbacks a chance.

Intermediate Route Running: Burks does not always give consistent effort at the top of his routes. The chances of success on routes like curls, slants, and comebacks are greatly hampered if a receiver fails to execute proper fundamentals. One glaring example is a tendency to round off his routes, rather than using his superb athleticism to provide consistent, clean breaks. In order to become the most polished route runner he can be, it is crucial that Burks cleans up some of those mental lapses. Or else he risks never reaching his full potential.

Blocking: Burks’ lack of effort bleeds into the blocking game as well. This is disheartening because with his physical stature, you would expect him to be a tenacious blocker. This is not reality though, as there are a number of times that Burks doesn’t even attempt to seal off his defender. When this happens, it results in the ball carrier gaining less yards than they otherwise would have. He will have to dial in each and every play or he will regularly find himself in his coach’s doghouse.

Final Thoughts

Treylon Burks is my highest rated pass catcher in the 2022 NFL Draft. Burks is a rare physical specimen and possesses a number of “treasure” traits. His blend of size, speed, and explosiveness are unheard of and should translate into a long, successful career on Sundays. The hype train has left the station and is gaining a ton of steam heading into the NFL Combine in March. If you are not hip yet, you will be when he makes waves at the Combine.