When the Tennessee Titans drafted Arkansas huge receiver Treylon Burks within the first spherical of the 2022 NFL draft — shortly after buying and selling A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles — opinions had been blended. Despite working away from secondaries within the SEC throughout his remaining 12 months with the Razorbacks, a 4.55-second 40-yard sprint on the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis led some analysts to imagine that he was too sluggish to be a real vertical risk on NFL Sundays.
The indisputable fact that Burks was working away from these secondaries, and working that 40-yard sprint, whereas weighing 255 kilos gave the impression to be ignored in that evaluation, however that may be a dialogue for one more time.
For many, nevertheless, Burks appeared like the best Brown alternative. During the draft course of, Brown was a typical participant comparability for the Arkansas receiver.
His NFL profession, nevertheless, bought off to a slower begin than Titans followers had been hoping for. Burks, who suffers from bronchial asthma, handled “breathing related issues” throughout the staff’s rookie minicamp. But he was prepared for the beginning of coaching camp, having labored on his conditioning, and find out how to deal with his bronchial asthma, over the summer season.
But then he suffered a wrist harm throughout the Titans’ first preseason recreation, which triggered him to overlook time throughout coaching camp. He returned as camp wound down, and was within the lineup in Week 1, however solely noticed 16 targets over his first 4 NFL video games.
Then, one other setback, as a turf toe harm suffered in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4 noticed Burks head to Injured Reserve.
Burks returned to the Titans final week, in Tennessee’s 17-10 win over the Denver Broncos. But the efficiency Titans followers — and maybe these analysts that predicted NFL success for him — had been ready to see got here on Thursday evening. Against the Green Bay Packers, Burks hauled in a career-best 7 passes for 111 yards.
But it was what he did on two performs specifically that speaks to the form of game-breaking risk he could be within the NFL.
The first massive play got here on Tennessee’s opening drive of the sport. With the Titans dealing with a third and seven on their very own 20-yard line, they had been at risk of opening the competition with a three-and-out.
Burks aligns as the center receiver within the journeys formation to the left, and runs a deep publish route. The defender masking him performs with inside leverage, so the rookie does a great job of getting excessive of the defensive again. But as he’s working throughout the sector, Tannehill’s throw is to his upfield shoulder, forcing Burks to regulate vertically.
Which he does to perfection:
Not solely does Burks regulate his path completely, however he is ready to observe this throw over his shoulder, whereas cornerback Keisean Nixon tries in useless to rake his arms and knock the ball away.
The big achieve units the Titans up in Packers’ territory, and they’d end the drive with a landing to take an early 7-0 lead on the highway.
However, the play that may illustrate greatest Burks’ potential to emphasize defenses within the vertical passing recreation got here within the second half. With the Titans dealing with a 1st and 10 with simply over two minutes remaining, and holding a ten-point lead, they went for the knockout punch.
Using a jumbo “13” personnel package deal, with two tight ends within the recreation together with an additional sort out, Le’Raven Clark, aligned as a decent finish, the Titans used play-action to place the ball within the air. Burks, the one huge receiver within the recreation, runs a go route in opposition to Jaire Alexander.
Watch as Burks erases the presnap cushion, and works proper previous Alexander for the large achieve:
The rookie’s mixture of dimension, pace, and energy stands out on this play. First, he has the straight-line pace to erase Alexander’s cushion. But as soon as he works previous the cornerback, Burks makes use of his body — and his energy — to stack the defender and protect him away from the soccer.
He finishes the play by making the reception, and dragging Alexander for about ten extra yards to set the Titans up with first-and-goal.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill would run out the clock with three-straight kneel downs.
These two performs spotlight simply how harmful Burks could be within the vertical passing recreation. His mixture of dimension, pace, and energy makes him a risk on downfield throws. For an offense like Tennessee’s, constructed round Derrick Henry, the play-action passing recreation, and explosive shot performs downfield off of play-action, Burks appeared like the best match popping out of Arkansas.
His efficiency in opposition to the Packers makes that appear much more possible.