Philadelphia Eagles: Treylon Burks backed it up at the combine

When the Philadelphia Eagles drafted JJ Arcega-Whiteside in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, it was to be the team’s X wide receiver of the future.

Compared to Alshon Jeffery during the pre-draft process, the pride of Standford had everything going for him; he was tall, athletic, and had the pedigree of being a truly elite red zone pedigree. After turning in a splendid performance at the combine, JJAW solidified his draft status with a 4.49 40 yard dash at Stanford’s pro day and effectively punched his ticket to being a top-60 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.

And then, well, Arcega-Whiteside took to the field. Now granted, JJAW has a few highlights on his reel, some as a blocker, others as a receiver, but Jeffrey he is not, and now with his fourth professional season about to start, it’s entirely possible he could be looking for a new team by late August.

Could the Philadelphia Eagles remedy their draft flub and sign/trade for a proven commodity later this month? Not only could they, but frankly, they should, but even if we’re all standing in line for D.K. Metcalf/Allen Robinson/Mike Williams jerseys at the Pro Shop in the not too distant future, that doesn’t mean Howie Roseman’s job is done. No, with only two wide receivers, DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins, guaranteed serious playing time next season, the Birds should seriously consider adding one, maybe even two receivers in this year’s class, especially one like Treylon Burks, who just showed out at the combine.

Treylon Burks is what the Philadelphia Eagles wanted JJAW to be.

When you put on Treylon Burks’ tape, it’s hard not to be impressed.

Whether deployed as a big slot for the Arkansas Razorbacks or played at his presumed natural position on the outside, Burks is a tall, fast, strong pass-catcher who provides his quarterback with a big target on passes contested or schemed open. Despite playing under three different head coaches and catching passes from a different starting quarterback in each of his three seasons in Fayetteville, Burks closed out his collegiate career with 146 receptions for 2,399 yards and 18 touchdowns. His number and game got better with each passing season, and Burks closed out his run with the Razorbacks with a bang, catching 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior versus some of the best cornerbacks the SEC has to offer.

For teams like, oh I don’t know, the Philadelphia Eagles, watching a linebacker-sized wide receiver run over cornerbacks both from the slot and on the perimeter had to be impressive, but one had to wonder how well Burks’ game would translate to the NFL and how well he would be able to function against much-improved defensive foes. If his testing matched his tape, there was little doubt that Burks would be off the board by pick 20 in the 2022 NFL Draft, but if he instead turned in a slow 40 time and struggled with some of the other athletic tests like the 3-cone, broad jump, or verticle jump, questions would arise over his ceiling as a player, and how big of a role he could fill in a pro-style offense.

Well, fortunately for Burks and his legions of fans, the pride of Warren, Arkansas, came to Indianapolis, saw the rest of the competition, and kept his first-round dreams alive. Despite being the heaviest wide receiver at the combine at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Burks ran a 4.55 40, which isn’t, like D.K. Metcalf-level speed but could have been much worse and ranked first in arm length at 33.5 and third in overall wingspan at 79.125. Though Burks opted against doing the bench press, he turned in some seriously impressive lifting numbers during his time at Arkansas and his Giannis Antetokounmpo-sized hands, which required custom 4XL gloves from Nike, surely wooed more than a few talent evaluators during his team interviews.

According to Joe Castro of “Philly Philly The Podcast,” one of Burks’ interviews came with your friendly neighborhood Philadelphia Eagles; take with that what you will.

While Burks didn’t jump out of the gym, turning in broad and vertical jumps that were in the bottom-50th percentile historically, few expected the big-bodied receiver to have shot-blocking hops, with his game far more akin to Joel Embiid’s physicality than the fitness of Nerlens Noel.

Needless to say, if you’re the general manager of a team looking to add size, power, and a 50-50 threat on the outside, Burks has to be in the conversation.

Is Treylon Burks a perfect prospect? No, but frankly, very few prospects are. Some will quibble with Burks’ jumping numbers, and others will be sad he didn’t crack a 4.4 instead of relieved that he didn’t run a 4.7. In my humble opinion, Burks’ numbers only confirmed what his tape clearly shows, that he’s a Tee Higgins-type performer who could make a similar impact on the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense, especially when paired up with DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, and whoever sticks around in time for Week 1. And as for JJ Arcega-Whiteside? Well, if Burks is added in the draft, especially with the 15th, 16th, or even 19th overall pick, it feels unlikely that he’ll live to see another season in South Philly.