What pre-draft scouting reports said about Titans’ Treylon Burks

STRENGTHS: Large, sturdy frame with body thickness and fluidity … dangerous with the ball in his hands thanks to his acceleration, vision and competitiveness … above-average body control and ball skills to make impressive adjustments to passes… out-rebounds opponents, and defenders on his hip don’t disrupt his concentration … draws defensive penalties thanks to physicality and ability to play through contact … tracks the ball naturally over his shoulder … effective deep target (slot fades, go routes, etc.) — caught 12 of 18 targets of 20-plus yards in 2021 (zero drops) … uses jab steps to quickly enter his routes and stack corners … doesn’t lose speed out of breaks, and has the juice to run away from pursuit … maintains route balance while hand-fighting for position … waits until the final moment to attack back-shoulder throws … competes with warrior toughness and often plays through injuries … effective blocker, and play strength is the result of his
work in the weight room (380-pound bench press, 500-pound squat, 320-pound power clean) … averaged 10.8 yards as the team’s featured punt returner as a true freshman (12/130/0) … experienced lining up outside, slot, inline and in the backfield … became the fourth player in school history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season.

WEAKNESSES: Helped by high volume of screens and quick targets — 45 of 66 catches in 2021 (68.2 percent) came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage … novice level route runner … need to see improved urgency with route setup and tempo … didn’t face much press coverage in college and was helped by pre-snap motion … most (77.0 percent) of his snaps came from the slot in college … still learning how to effectively use his body to shield defenders … physical blocker but will fall asleep at the wheel at times, allowing defenders to gain leverage … impressive ball skills but will needlessly attempt one-hand catches at times … physical style of play leads
to durability concerns — tore the ACL in his left knee (October 2018) as a senior in high school.

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Arkansas, Burks was the slot receiver in offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ up-tempo, RPO-based scheme. With 82.9 percent of his career snaps coming in the slot, inline or in the backfield, he was deployed across the formation to create mismatches and led the Razorbacks in receiving yards each of the past three seasons. With his vision and acceleration, Burks has the skills to turn quick-hitters into big plays, breaking tackles with his balance, body strength and competitive toughness (led the SEC with 22 plays of 20-plus yards in 2021). He can also track the football downfield with his large catch radius, although his separation skills can be mitigated by his undeveloped rhythm as a route runner. Overall, Burks is underdeveloped as an outside route runner, but he is a dynamic weapon with the ball in his hands and boasts the unique blend of size, athleticism and ball skills to grow into an NFL team’s No. 1 receiver. He compares to a linebacker-sized Deebo Samuel in a similar scheme.

GRADE: 1st Round (No. 21 overall)

Treylon Burks is a former 4-star recruit that was the No. 1 player in the state of Arkansas during the 2019 recruiting cycle. Burks is a three-year starter for the Arkansas Razorbacks. In 2020, Burks was the Razorbacks’ No. 1 receiving threat, leading the team in both catches and yards. Burks lines up as an X receiver, slot receiver, and in the backfield at times for the Arkansas offense. This allows for the coaching staff to find unique ways to get the ball into his hands. When he has the ball in his hands, Burks is a tough tackle for defenders. Burks uses his big frame to power through arm tackles and is rarely brought down by the first defender. Burks also uses his big frame to shield defenders away from the ball and on in-breaking routes. Burke’s most dynamic trait is his natural ability to go up and over defenders to win 50/50 balls. He thrives at contested catches because he has an in-depth understanding of body positioning. Burks is a big-bodied receiver that understands how to use his body in multiple different ways to be a versatile weapon for the Razorback offense.

Ideal Role: A possession receiver that can use his big frame to shield defenders from the ball and consistently catch 50/50 balls

Scheme Fit: A system that can get the ball in his hands quickly so he can use his frame to break tackles and fight for extra yardage.

Big, smooth and natural, Burks possesses the versatility to operate from wherever you want and get to wherever you need no matter the competition. He’s a mismatch receiver combining size, strength and competitiveness similar to the Titans’ A.J. Brown, but his speed testing at the NFL Scouting Combine did not meet expectations. Arkansas benefitted by putting the ball in his hands from a variety of alignments and there is no reason to believe NFL play-callers won’t benefit from doing the same. The tape is extremely exciting with real NFL skills jumping off the screen, but his potential to become a high-volume, three-level target is a little more cloudy after a relatively disappointing showing at the combine.

Although the Arkansas WR might have seen something of a dip in his stock during the pre-draft process, Burks’ scouting report still indicates a prospect who should hear his name called relatively high in the 2022 NFL Draft. In a deep wide receiver class, Burks possesses some alluring traits that should translate to the next level.

At 6’2″ and 225 pounds, Burks is the epitome of a big-bodied pass catcher. He has a very well-built frame that, at times, allows for an impressively physical brand of football. This is particularly apparent at the catch point. 50/50 balls often result in him making the catch as he outmuscles his opponent. The Arkansas WR is also able to use his physicality to manufacture yardage after the catch, proving a difficult proposition to take down in space.

Burks wins at the catch point with more than physicality alone, however. The Arkansas WR demonstrates excellent ball tracking and body control, giving him an advantage in these situations. His hands, while not measuring as large as expected, are strong and reliable. Meanwhile, his 33 1/2″ arms give him an excellent catch radius. He’s adept at plucking the ball out of the sky to make the highlight-reel catch.

Treylon Burks is a big-bodied receiver who aligned across the formation for Arkansas but projects as an outside receiver at the NFL level. Burks is a good overall athlete who consistently shows burst, balance and body control to smoothly start and stop on routes. His very good burst also shows up when he gets north with the ball in his hands.

Burks is able to split defenders in a hurry, and his play strength lets him break through tackles from smaller defenders. He has large hands that allow him to pluck throws out of the air with ease, and he can often make the spectacular catch away from his body, although he will have some concentration drops crop up. Arkansas likes to move Burks around the formation to highlight his talent, often putting him in motion before targeting him with a throw or designed run. And while he is a talented athlete, he will need to continue to refine his technique and route-running.

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