Treylon Burks - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Titans WR Treylon Burks

June 17th, 2022 at 11:23am CST by Sam Robinson

Considering the player the Titans gave up to acquire the pick that became Treylon Burks, the first-round wide receiver represents not just a long-term investment but one pivotal to Tennessee’s 2022 season. So far, the Titans have not seen too much of Burks.

Tennessee, which traded A.J. Brown to Philadelphia for a package headlined by this year’s No. 18 overall pick, saw its Brown heir apparent miss OTAs time and then miss all of the team’s minicamp. Mike Vrabel did not provide a reason for Burks’ unavailability this week.

Burks was slowed during OTAs and later missed practice time due to asthma. While Titans wide receivers coach Rob Moore praised Burks’ progression in their offensive system, via The Tennessean’s Ben Arthur, his unspecified minicamp absence does provide a bit of an early concern.

Earlier this offseason, SI.com’s Albert Breer noted weight issues have followed Burks for a bit. Listed at 225 pounds, Burks, according to some teams ahead of the draft, played in the 240s at points during his Arkansas career and was over 230 during some of his pre-draft workouts. While the big-bodied target obviously played well enough to warrant a top-20 selection, nearly hitting 1,000 yards in 2020’s COVID 19-shortened season and surpassing 1,100 as a junior in 2021, the SEC standout does enter the NFL with some uncertainty.

The Jon Robinson-era Titans have not shied away from first-rounders with potential red flags. They hit on 2019 first-rounder Jeffery Simmons, who was coming off an offseason ACL tear ahead of his rookie season. Simmons has become one of the NFL’s top interior defensive linemen. But the team missed badly on 2020 first-rounder Isaiah Wilson, who was off the Titans’ roster by 2021 after a three-snap rookie season. Caleb Farley missed Tennessee’s offseason program and some of training camp last year, due to the two back surgeries he had undergone. Farley, who suffered a torn ACL during his freshman year at Virginia Tech, went down due to another ACL tear three games into his rookie season.

Tennessee cut Julio Jones after what turned out to be a misfire — one that cost the team a second-round pick. Recent trade acquisition Robert Woods, obtained for just a 2023 sixth-round pick, is coming off a torn ACL he sustained in November. The Titans do not have much in the way of notable investments at receiver behind Burks and Woods, though former UDFA Nick Westbrook-Ikhine showed some promise last season. This amplifies the importance of their Woods-Burks duo producing. Training camp will be a key step for both.

Titans Eyeing Another WR Addition?

May 27th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Adam La Rose

The receiver room has seen plenty of turnover in Tennessee this offseason. Despite the changes already made, more could be on the way in the near future.

According to Jim Wyatt of TennesseTitans.com, there is a strong chance of “another addition before the season at receiver”. The top of the depth chart at this time last season consisted of A.J. Brown and Julio Jones, of course, but that led to mixed results on the field.

Despite having the worst statistical season of his three-year career, Brown easily led the team in receiving yards with 869. Jones, meanwhile, was only able to suit up for ten contests and likewise had a career-worst season. Overall, the team ranked 23rd in the league in the passing game; as the AFC’s top seed, however, they were obviously able to enjoy a high degree of success without an efficient aerial attack.

Not surprisingly, given his injury troubles and lack of production, Jones was released in March. That left the team looking – for the second straight offseason – for a new compliment to Brown, after seeing Corey Davis depart in free agency one year earlier. Days later, they traded for Robert Woods with the aim of accomplishing that very goal.

Woods had become expendable for the Rams, given their signing of Allen Robinson and potential reunion with Odell Beckham Jr. However, when he makes his Titans debut, he won’t be doing so alongside Brown, as the team envisioned when they acquired him. After it became clear a new contract couldn’t be agreed upon with the latter, he was traded to the Eagles in exchange for a first round pick during Day 1 of the draft.

With that selection, the Titans added Treylon Burks. One of the most unique receiving prospects in this year’s class, he should have a clear path to playing time alongside Woods and returnee Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Other than Beckham, remaining free agents include Will Fuller, T.Y. Hilton and Cole Beasley. Any of those could provide a short-term boost to the passing game as the Titans look to integrate new receiving pieces into their offense.

Titans Reach Agreement With First Round WR Treylon Burks

May 17th, 2022 at 11:52am CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans made one of the most noteworthy moves on Day 1 of last month’s draft when they traded away A.J. Brown to the Eagles. They now have the wideout they selected to replace him – Treylon Burks – under contract on his four-year rookie deal worth $14.37MM (Twitter link via ESPN’s Field Yates).

The Titans used the No. 18 pick on Burks after receiving it in exchange for Brown. The former will have significant expectations early on in his career, given not only the link between the two players but his impressive performances in college. Burks only posted 29 receptions in his freshman campaign in 2019, but he averaged over 16 yards per catch, something he would continue throughout his time at Arkansas He also showcased his open field abilities as a returner.

The following season, Burks took a significant step forward. He posted 895 scrimmage yards and scored seven total touchdowns in just nine games. The shortened season allowed him to demonstrate his run-after-catch skills, an aspect of his game which sets him apart from the other top wideouts in this year’s draft class. It also led to high expectations for him in the 2021 season.

Burks didn’t disappoint the Razorbacks or the many NFL teams that had him on their draft radars. He registered 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding 112 yards and another score on the ground. That production and his frame (six-foot-three, 225 pounds), coupled with his multi-faceted skillset, have led to comparisons to Deebo Samuel.

Burks will enter a Titans offense which, just like that of the 49ers, is predicated on the run game. Still, he should see the field right away alongside Robert Woods, as the team moves forward with a re-vamped receiving corps.

Draft Notes: Remaining QBs, Jets, Vikings, Burks, Johnson

April 29th, 2022 at 5:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the main storylines from last night’s first round was the fact that only one quarterback came off the board. The Steelers have their preferred choice in Kenny Pickett, but the other top options likely won’t have to wait long to hear their names called.

Jeff Howe of the Athletic reports (via Twitter) that “several teams” are trying to move up in the second round. As a result, there is “anticipation that a QB run could be on the way”. A number of teams could be interested in adding the likes of Malik Willis, Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral as intriguing developmental options.

On that point, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer names the Titans, Falcons, Seahawks and Commanders as teams to watch for. He reports that “Ridder’s name has been consistently connected to Tennessee”, who now holds the 35th overall pick. The other teams have done significant work on signal-callers as well. Perhaps eyeing a passer, the Seahawks have made “exploratory calls” about moving up tonight, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (Twitter link).

Here are some other notes looking back on last night:

The Jets, as it has been reported, were willing to part with the No. 10 pick for Deebo Samuel. They almost made a different deal with that selection, though, as detailed by ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). New York wanted to swap with Seattle for No. 9 to avoid a team leapfrogging them to select Garrett Wilson. Both teams were able to successfully stand pat, ultimately getting Charles Cross and Wilson, respectively.
Not long after the top-10 was complete, the Vikings ceded the 12th overall pick to the Lions. With their second first-rounder, Detroit selected Jameson Williams, who may have been the pick at that spot had Minnesota kept it. Breer reports that the Alabama receiver “was very much in play ” for the Vikings, who added Lewis Cine and two Day 2 picks as a result of the deal.
Another of the top receivers to be taken last night was Treylon Burks, whom the Titans selected as a replacement for A.J. Brown. When speaking to Pat McAfee, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Arkansas alum “was the guy Aaron Rodgers wanted” (video link). With him off the board, the Packers extended their streak of not using a Round 1 pick on a wideout, but he reports that they are a candidate to trade up for one tonight (video link).
One of the most surprising fallers on Thursday night was pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II. Part of the reason he was still on the board for the Jets at No. 25, Breer notes, was poor interviews with teams in the pre-draft process. Thought by some as a top-10 pick, he ended up with the Jets anyway, and figures to serve as a notable boost to their pass rush.

Titans Planning To Trade WR A.J. Brown To Eagles

April 28th, 2022 at 8:58pm CST by Ben Levine

And we’ve got a run on receiver trades! According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), the Titans are planning to trade wideout A.J. Brown to the Eagles. Tennessee will receive picks No. 18 and No. 101, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The Eagles will also ink the receiver to a hefty extension; NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter), that the Eagles will sign Brown to a four-year, $100MM extension with $57MM in guaranteed money.

2021 was the first time Brown failed to amass 1,000 receiving yards and 9 total touchdowns in a season. While the season certainly wasn’t up to Brown’s usual standards, it was still a solid overall campaign. Despite being limited to the fewest games of his career, Brown finished with 53 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns.

The Eagles were hunting for receiver help this offseason, even after using a 2021 first-round pick on DeVonta Smith. The team was reportedly eyeing some of the draft’s top receiving prospects. Instead, the front office decided to make a splash with an established target for Jalen Hurts.

Brown and the Titans had preliminary talks on an extension, but after a deal couldn’t be reached, the wideout made it clear that he wouldn’t be participating in offseason programs. Considering the deals being handed out to wide receivers, Brown’s camp was seeking a contract that would pay him north of $20MM per season. The Titans could still use a player of Brown’s caliber, but the player’s pending extension and growing frustration ultimately led to a trade.

With their new selection, the Titans have selected Arkansas WR Treylon Burks. The wideout burst onto the scene following a solid 2020 campaign, and he took it to another level in 2021, finishing with 66 receptions for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Chiefs, Cardinals Targeting First-Round WRs

April 26th, 2022 at 1:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

The back half of Thursday night’s first round has plenty of uncertainty, keeping in line with the overall theme of this year’s class. Two of the teams in that range whose intentions are clear, according to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, are the Chiefs and Cardinals; each, he reports, are targeting wide receivers.

Kansas City has been named as a team looking for replenishments in their pass-catching corps since the Tyreek Hill trade. While they have signed J.J. Smith -Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, many have pointed to a receiver being a priority with one of their two Dat 1 selections (Nos. 29 and 30). As Pauline also noted recently, the team is high on Minnesota edge rusher Boye Mafe, whom many believe Kansas City will select with one of those picks.

As for the other, the Chiefs have frequently been connected to trade-up scenarios resulting in a top wideout becoming the pick. Given his speed, Jameson Williams is often touted as the team’s target in such a circumstance, but Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave are other options under consideration as well. Given the rankings of those three not only amongst the other top wideouts, but the rest of the class as a whole, it is highly unlikely Kansas City will be able to wait to select any of them at the tail end of Day 1.

A trade could very well be needed for the Cardinals as well if they wish to add a top pass-catcher. The team’s vacancy comes from Christian Kirk‘s free agency departure, meaning they could stand to add a starting-level player Thursday night. Since it is expected Williams, Wilson and Drake London – at a minimum – will be off the board by the time Arizona picks 23rd overall, Olave and Treylon Burks are more realistic targets at their current slot. The Cardinals hosted the latter, signalling at least a degree of interest in the Arkansas alum. Pauline points to offensive line as another position to target if they avoid a wideout.

Much of the chatter in the build-up to Thursday night is dominated by the top of the board, of course, but the actions of teams like these two will be worth watching as the WR board shakes out throughout the opening round.

Draft Rumors: Stingley, Jaguars, Alabama, Cine, Burks

April 22nd, 2022 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

According to Matt Miller of ESPN, Derek Stingley, Jr. is the hottest name in the 2022 NFL Draft right now. The LSU cornerback has long been considered one of the top-two cornerback prospects available, along with Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner. Miller claims that Stingley is trending as high as the top-three with the Lions or Texans rumored to be interested in him at No. 2 or 3 overall.

After a stellar freshman season, Stingley was easily viewed as the best cornerback that would be available by the 2022 Draft. But, after a subpar 2020 season and only appearing in three games last year, combined with another stellar season from Gardner, NFL teams have allowed a bit of room for Gardner to challenge as the best corner on the board. The NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Gardner ranked as the third-best prospect overall with Stingley at 15th, while Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Gardner at fifth overall with Stingley at 14th. Miller, though, seems to think Stingley won’t make it past the Seahawks at 9th overall on Thursday night.

Here are a few more notes for the upcoming Draft, starting with some speculation down in Duval:

Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke let it be known on Friday that Jacksonville is considering four players for their number one overall draft pick this Thursday, according to Charean Williams of NBC Sports. Many mock drafts have them going with Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson or Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker, but they’ve also had their name attached to Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal and NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu. It’s hard to imagine any other names entering the conversation for Jacksonville’s top pick.
On their postseason run last year, college football powerhouse Alabama lost two of their top pass catchers in two of the biggest games of their season. John Metchie tore his ACL in the team’s SEC Championship victory over Georgia on December 4th. A little over a month later, Jameson Williams tore his ACL in the team’s National Championship game loss to Georgia on January 10th. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the two are progressing impressively in their recoveries, with that opinion being echoed by the NFL teams who have looked into their medical information. They may both be on track to play in the upcoming season, depending on how conservative of a team they end up with. The important thing, though, is that, while their stock may have been affected a bit by injury, they are both fully expected to hear their names called next week.
Georgie safety Lewis Cine visited with the Buccaneers this week, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. Cine led the Bulldogs in tackles and passes broken up for the season last year en route to being named the defensive MVP of the team’s National Championship victory over Alabama. According to Laine, when asked if signing Logan Ryan and Keanu Neal precluded them from drafting a safety, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht simply replied, “No.”
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks added two more teams to his list of visits earlier this week. Burks met with the Bears and Cardinals as he continues to trend in the first round. Read more about Burks in his NFL Draft Prospect Profile here.

Draft Rumors: Giants, Jets, Eagles, Lions, Seahawks, Cowboys, Browns

April 9th, 2022 at 4:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants used a top-five pick on an offensive lineman in 2020, and Andrew Thomas now anchors their line. But the team entered the offseason with needs everywhere else up front. Even after adding multiple likely interior O-line starters in March, Big Blue has a vacancy at right tackle. This has led the Giants to do extensive prep on this draft’s top tackles, including Alabama’s Evan Neal, NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu and Mississippi State’s Charles Cross, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes. Other teams are penciling the Giants in to take a tackle at No. 5 or No. 7, a rival exec said, via Vacchiano. The Giants brought sizable contingents to the three top tackles’ pro days and have been previously linked to Cross, who rates behind Neal and Ekwonu.

With two picks in the top seven, it would surprise if one of the top three tackles remained on the board after the Giants’ second pick — assuming it is not traded. The Panthers, who hold the No. 6 pick, have eyed Ekwonu and Cross as well. That could put the Giants to the test with the first of their Round 1 choices, with other teams in front of them — namely the Texans and Jets — strong candidates to draft tackles as well. The Giants could exit the first round with a right tackle to join offseason additions Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano as part of their latest up-front overhaul.

Here is the latest from the draft realm:

Another candidate to join the Giants, Ahmad Gardner will pay them a visit and meet with several other teams ahead of the draft. The Cincinnati standout has emerged as the favorite to be the first cornerback taken, and ProFootballNetwork.com’s Aaron Wilson notes the Jets, Eagles, Lions and Seahawks join the Giants in scheduling “30” visits. The Giants and Jets are believed to have strong interest in Gardner, who seems unlikely to make it out of the top 10. The Jets hold the Nos. 4 and 10 picks.
The Cowboys brought in a few first-round prospects this week. Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis, Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd and Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green visited the Cowboys this week, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (all Twitter links). Lloyd and Davis rate as top-12 prospects, per NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah. Barring freefalls or Dallas trading up from No. 24, they will be out of range. Green is viewed by Jeremiah and ESPN.com as the top guard available, being slotted just outside the top 25 by each. The Cowboys, who lost Connor Williams in free agency, are targeting O-linemen early.
One of this draft’s top wide receivers, Treylon Burks has met with a few teams already. In addition to Cowboys and Buccaneers summits, the Arkansas product spent time with the Browns and Jets this week, Wilson tweets. The Texans are up next. The Browns are an unrealistic Burks suitor, having traded their first-round pick (No. 13) to the Texans, who would loom as a potential destination thanks to one of the choices they acquired in the Deshaun Watson deal. The Jets have made their wide receiver interest fairly well known this offseason.
Although they do not have a first-round pick until 2025, the Browns still hold their second-rounder (No. 44) this year. In addition to their Friday Burks meeting, the Browns brought in North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. ESPN and Jeremiah slot the Division I-FCS product 45th. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher played with Trey Lance as a sophomore in 2019 and earned All-American acclaim in 2021.

WR Draft Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Bucs, Saints, Jets

April 5th, 2022 at 4:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of two Ohio State wide receivers expected to become first-round picks later this month, Chris Olave will tour two NFC East teams’ facilities this week. The Cowboys are hosting Olave on a visit Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The former Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud pass catcher will also meet with the Commanders on Thursday, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Olave and Terry McLaurin were teammates in 2018, Olave’s freshman year, and Breer adds the wideouts are close. Having traded for Carson Wentz, the Commanders (pick No. 11) are in need of a complementary pass catcher alongside McLaurin. They have not chosen a first-round wideout since Josh Doctson in 2016. The Cowboys (No. 24) have pulled the trigger on a first-round wideout recently — CeeDee Lamb in 2020 — but Jerry Jones based the Amari Cooper trade on resource allocation, and Dallas adding a low-cost wideout alongside Lamb and the rehabbing Michael Gallup would make sense. Though, the Cowboys are interested in offensive linemen as well.

Here is the latest from the wide receiver draft landscape:

Also ranked as a first-round prospect, Arkansas’ Treylon Burks is meeting with a few teams this week. The Cowboys hosted the 225-pound playmaker Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding that the Buccaneers will meet with Burks later this week. The Saints are also hosted the 6-foot-2 target last week, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets. It would surprise if the Bucs (No. 27) went wideout in Round 1, given their Mike Evans–Chris Godwin–Russell Gage setup, but the team could use a cheap building block due to employing three eight-figure-per-year wideouts. The Saints (Nos. 16, 19) are rather desperate for receiving help, with Michael Thomas having run into significant injury trouble over the past two years. New Orleans now has two first-round picks, putting wideout squarely in play.
Also holding two first-round selections, the Jets have met with this draft’s top-graded wideout (per Scouts Inc.). Checking in as the No. 6 overall prospect, Garrett Wilson visited the Jets on Monday, Schefter adds (on Twitter). Wilson and Olave formed a top-end duo last season, with the former leading the Buckeyes with 1,058 receiving yards. The Jets have the Nos. 4 and 10 picks and have been linked to receivers throughout the offseason.
The tallest of this year’s elite receiver prospects will hold a late pro day. Drake London pushed his pro day to April 15 due to a hamstring issue, Rapoport tweets. The 6-foot-3 USC product ranks as Scouts Inc.’s No. 9 overall prospect.
John Metchie checks in as a second-round prospect, but teams are still doing work on the Alabama contributor. The Commanders are using a “30” visit on Metchie on Friday, Breer adds. The former DeVonta Smith/Jaylen Waddle sidekick joins Crimson Tide first-round prospect Jameson Williams in coming off a major injury. A December ACL tear damaged Metchie’s draft stock.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Arkansas WR Treylon Burks

March 6th, 2022 at 9:30pm CST by Ely Allen

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.