Treylon Burks has spent his entire life living in Arkansas. The kid is Arkansas born and raised. After only three years of play at the University of Arkansas, NFL teams are dying to give Burks his first home outside of The Natural State. 
Burks left Warren High School as the top-ranked player in the state, despite missing most of his senior season due to a torn ACL. The multi-sport athlete signed to continue his education in-state and made an immediate impact. As a true freshman, Burks gave the Razorbacks 475 yards receiving. Although, Burks is a big-body receiver (measured at 6’2″ and 225 lb. this weekend in Indianapolis), the freshman was so explosive in the open field that his coaches gave him kick- and punt-returner duties. Burks took the opportunity and ran with it, being named 2nd Team All-Sec as a return specialist his freshman year.
In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Burks broke out in a big way, racking up 820 yards and 7 touchdowns in only 8 games. With all eyes on him and expectations sky-high for the 2021 college season, Burks soared. Despite constant double-teams as the only perceived receiving threat for the Razorbacks, Burks still managed to catch 66 balls for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns. He even managed to add on 112 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to the ledger.
As a pro, Burks screams No. 1 receiver material. He has the physical, big body to dominate in jump ball scenarios along with run-after-catch ability to be a threat outside the red-zone, as well. He tracks and adjusts to the ball well in the air and his catch radius will give his future quarterback a bit of leeway to just throw the ball in his general direction. His versatility from college with returns and some rushing attempts have appropriately earned him multiple comparisons to a big-bodied Deebo Samuel.
In The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s prospect position rankings from December, Burks was listed as the third best receiver behind Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson and Alabama’s Jameson Williams. Many mock drafts see Burks as the second or third wide receiver generally taken off the board behind Wilson and USC’s Drake London. Burks is nearly a consensus first round pick, with many evaluators predicting him to gone by the second half of the first round.
Regardless of when he gets picked up, the lack of any NFL teams in Arkansas guarantees that Burks will soon be heading for a new destination. Whichever team gives him a call on draft night is going to receive an NFL-ready, Day 1 starter ready to compete with NFL corners. Look for teams who currently lack a true No. 1 receiver to pull the trigger somewhere in the middle of the first round, if not earlier.
Surely Eagles pick him up.
Burks and Smith
Drafting WR in first round hasn’t got them anywhere .. Reagor and Smith are decent but to do 3 first round receivers in a few years and none of them game changers seems kind of silly with holes other places.
Smith is more than decent and Reagor is less than decent. They have one building block receiver and could use another. Reagor is a sunk cost. If they love one of the receivers with one of their first four picks, they wouldn’t be wrong to jump.
It’s a shame his first two seasons of his collegiate career were wasted by Chad Morris and a pandemic shortened season, respectively. Treylon Burks is going to be the best receiver from this class. For those of you who’d like to cite his 40 time as a reason for doubt, just know he clocked in at 22.6 MPH in the Alabama game last year. At the time it was good for the fastest sprint speed in football, slightly ahead of Raheem Mostert of the 49ers. He’s also got the biggest hands of any receiver in the class by a lot (wears a custom size 5 XL glove). He used to catch punts without using his body because it was easier for him to catch them with his hands instead. Don’t think he dropped a pass in college, but don’t quote me on that. He’s going to be a future star.
Also, comparing his 40 time to guys 30 pounds lighter is goofy. I’m curious to see his role in the NFL. I think Arkansas played him out of the slot so much because he was so much better than their QBs that they just wanted to get the ball in his hands.
I’m a Hogs fan so I got to watch him throughout his career. Obviously my statement comes with a little bias, but I truly try to put that aside when giving my input. Kendal Briles likes to get the ball to his playmakers in space and considering Burks was usually the most talented player on the field at any given time, he’d line up just about anywhere. Slot, outside the numbers, backfield, occasionally taking a direct snap. Can’t tell you how many times I watched him go in orbit motion just to get the front 7 spread out so we (Arkansas) could run the ball.
I do my best to keep it as neutral as possible, but I could honestly see Burks as a top 5 (or better) receiver in the league if he’s able to stay healthy.
I have no skin in the game, but I love to see an unusual prospect turn out to be great. Makes the game more interesting. He seems like he’d be fun.
I agree with both comments here. Stud. Eagles are a perfect fit/need.
Ruckus pretty much summed it up, Stud. Burks is my #1 WR prospect with Garrett Wilson 1B(I couldn’t grade one higher then the other). His hands are HUGE and like said above he doesn’t drop passes often. His best attribute is 50/50 balls because when it comes to Burks that isn’t the ratio. It is more like 70/30 Burks to defender. Say what you want about his speed but I think he will run better at his pro day which should erase some of those questions.
Whoever gets the pleasure of drafting this kid will get a future star and he will be a fan favorite early.
Another one of my favorite players in the draft. Love these articles.
As a guy who sees a ton of SEC games, and the kind of competition he plays against on a weekly basis, you want your team to “waste” a pick on him. Without a doubt, can be like Chase/Jefferson were as rookies, immediately making a team’s passing game (and return game, another plus) that much better in a season.