The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information.
Here's our report on Jermaine Burton.
At this point, Burton will project and transition to the next level predominantly as a vertical dimension, especially when he has free access off the LOS based on formation and motion. He showed outstanding burst off the ball and the easy accelerating speed to immediately challenge and get on top of and run by corners with high-end speed.
The other vertical element that Burton consistently showed was the ability to highpoint the ball and make contested catches with strong hands that easily caught the ball away from his frame. While Burton was not asked to run a diverse and extended route tree, he has the physical and athletic traits to develop into a factor at all three levels of the defense.
My sense is he is an ascending player who will get better in the NFL and become a weapon, especially at the intermediate and vertical levels. Burton will not be the kind of receiver that is the foundation of an NFL passing game, but his speed and vertical ability are always in demand.
He will be a productive No. 2 or No. 3 wide receiver, depending on the team, scheme and the other receiving personnel in the offense.
Burton came out of California as a 4-star recruit and began his college career at Georgia, where he played for his first two years before transferring to Alabama.
Burton led Alabama in receiving yards in 2022 and 2023. He predominantly lined up outside in Alabama’s offense, including snaps at boundary X on the back side of trips, but there were also snaps in the slot
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