With the first of two picks in the third round, the Cincinnati Bengals added Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton to their offense with the 80th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Burton's positives make him one of the most talented receivers in this draft. He led the SEC in yards per reception and possesses the deep speed and tracking ability to become one of the most explosive wideouts in football.
So why was he available 80 picks in the draft? It doesn't have anything to do with football.
Bengals are taking a risk on Jermaine Burton
Several NFL teams reportedly didn't have Burton on their draft board for character concerns. He ended up switching high schools four times before becoming a 4-star recruit to Georgia. He ended up transferring from Georgia to Alabama and had "up and down moments" with both coaching staffs according to The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
His resume will have the word undisciplined attached to it. Nevertheless, the Bengals saw him as a risk worth taking in the third round.
Burton is ranked as the 68th overall prospect, and 13th overall receiver, in this draft class by A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst James Foster. His top attributes make a clear argument.
- 0 drops in 2023 & just 4 career drops on 192 targets
- Makes difficult adjustments to inaccurate/tight-window throws. Not afraid to high-point the ball & take a hit over the middle
- Advanced route runner with refined footwork
- Sinks his hips & cuts off stop routes quickly
- Attacks the CB's blindspot to force an early hip-turn
The Bengals have been targeting more explosion on offense this offseason, and Burton will have a clear role to play delivering that. He's not a slot receiver replacement for Tyler Boyd, which signals Cincinnati's willingness to evolve their offense to feature more versatile and diverse roles for their wide receivers.
With Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the fold already, Burton becomes the third wideout immediately. He's simply too talented for another to see the field over him.
Will Burton have to earn the trust of the coaching staff first? We'll find out as the offseason progresses.
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