Notre Dame got on the board at wide receiver by picking up underrated pass catcher Elijah Burress.
Let's take a look at the profile for Burress.
ELIJAH BURRESS PROFILE
Hometown/High School: Wayne, N.J./DePaul Catholic
Height/Weight: 6-1, 175
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Player Comp: Kevin Stepherson, Notre Dame
2023 Stats: 29 catches, 439 yards, 15.1 YPC, 5 TD
Recruited By: Mike Brown
Offers: Notre Dame, Duke, Cincinnati, Temple, Marshall, James Madison, East Carolina, UMass, Buffalo
RECRUITING RANKINGS
247Sports: 3-star - No. 36 wide receiver
On3: 3-star - No. 89 wide receiver
Rivals: 3-star
On3 Consensus: 3-star - No. 504 overall - No. 78 wide receiver
NOTRE DAME FIT
Burress is a player that has a lot of talent and potential to do damage before the ball comes, at the catch point and after the catch. That is certainly something that Notre Dame needs more of at wide receiver. From a position fit standpoint, the first spot that I see Burress settling in is as the field outside receiver spot. His unique skillset is something the Irish were largely lacking there in recent seasons, and that's a player that not only has speed and good ball skills, but more importantly he has outstanding route running skills that will allow him to win more one-on-one battles than we've seen in recent seasons.
FILM ANALYSIS
Burress is listed at 6-1 and 175 pounds, but I won't be surprised if he ends up growing a little bit taller than that. He is quite thin at the moment and his play strength isn't where it needs to be. Against college corners he'll have a tougher time getting on top against press coverage, and it will be easier to know him off his path. A lack of strength can cause a faster player to be slower due to getting knocked around more, and it can hinder separation ability against better - and stronger - corners. As Burress improves in this area by getting stronger and filling out his ability to impact the game will get a lot better. He has a quality frame and I don't see this being an issue, but it will take time and it's certainly where he will need to work the most.
What I do like about Burress' frame is that even though he's not tall like his father (Plaxico Burress), he is a long-legged athlete and he also has pretty good length, giving him an impressive catch radius for a player that is 6-1. There is also a lot of room for him to keep filling out and adding strength, as I mentioned above. Burress is also competitive as a pass catcher and shows a willingness to make plays in traffic. There is certainly not a lack of competitiveness or any issues with his willingness (and ability) to compete for the football. Burress also shows impressive hands and catching ability from a hand strength, catching technique and tracking standpoint.
Athletically there is a lot to like about Burress. I like his long speed and he shows a really nice second gear, which you can see on film on the few occasions that he runs vertical routes. But what I like even more is his ability to quickly get into his route and eat up the cushion of corners (when he's outside) and safeties (when he's inside). Burress also shows top-notch agility and the ability to change direction with ease and suddenness. These traits show up for him as a route runner and also make him effective after the catch. His ability to explode out of cuts makes him an outstanding separator at the high school level and it projects extremely well to the next level once his strength catches up. Burress' also shows an advanced feel for how to properly use leverage, his stem and top ends to manipulate defenders and win out of his breaks.
Finally, Burress shows an impressive feel for the game. He's a very heady and smart football player that understands how to get open. Whether it's adjusting his speed off the line to ensure good timing with the QB, or to manipulate the defender, taking proper angles out of breaks, or finding soft spots in the zone, Burress shows a great feel for winning off the line. When working against the zone he does a great job of quickly getting into open areas and getting his head around to the quarterback. This should allow him to be a volume pass catcher in the RPO and quick game, but also makes him highly effective in the middle of the field and intermediate zones, which should help him be an impact target on third-down.
More must-reads: