NFL analyst wholeheartedly believes Bengals made the most important pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
While the Cincinnati Bengals allowed one of the franchise's most productive receivers in Tyler Boyd walk in free agency, they added a wideout much younger and more explosive in Jermaine Burton. The third receiver to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will likely become Burton's to lose training camp and the preseason conclude. A third-round pick from […]
While the Cincinnati Bengals allowed one of the franchise's most productive receivers in Tyler Boyd walk in free agency, they added a wideout much younger and more explosive in Jermaine Burton.
The third receiver to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will likely become Burton's to lose training camp and the preseason conclude. A third-round pick from this year's NFL Draft, Burton brings the athleticism and hands Cincinnati needed at the position.
Pro Football Focus' Head of Football Product Steve Palazzolo believes the Bengals will get even more from Burton in time.
While appearing on The Growler, hosted by The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr., Palazzolo brought up Burton—unprompted—with nothing but the most effusive praise for the rookie out of Alabama.
"Jermaine Burton, my favorite draft pick in the entire draft," Palazzolo said. "I think he was the fourth best receiver in the draft. Unbelievable, [I was] blown away by his tape. And he can be the most important draft pick in this draft class for any team if he's as good as I think he is, and other people around the league think he is, but they just have to figure out keeping him in line, because he can be a special player to go to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins."
The consensus on Burton is that he was a much better college player than the average 80th overall pick usually is, and Palazzolo seems to be completely on board with that. First-round traits appeared evident in his film, specifically with his downfield ability.
"I saw easy, explosiveness, him getting behind defenses, and then saw ball skills and body control that just looked like a first-round player, Palazzolo said. "So you throw him a back shoulder, he adjusts to it perfectly. Didn't drop more than two passes, I don't think, his entire college career. So he's got good hands, body control, speed, second-level burst."
Most pundits will look at Burton's off-field concerns as his main negative in his profile, but the Bengals' locker room has already been a positive influence on the rookie. Palazzolo's concerns with him are entirely football related, coincidentally with the aspects that Boyd excelled at.
"The only question for me, for Burton, is like the short area stuff," Palazzolo said. "Is he going to run a ton of quick ins and outs and slants. I don't know if he's great at that. Wasn't asked to do that at Georgia or Alabama. But if you're talking pure vertical threat that could get behind the defense, catch the ball effectively, and beat man coverage, Jermaine Burton, all of that. You look special to me on film."
Burton was certainly not used underneath often at Alabama. His average depth of target of 20.2 was nearly as large as his SEC-leading yards per reception of 20.5 in 2023. Learning the small game will be important for him in Cincinnati, but the skillset he has now is more than enough to see the field immediately and make plays.
If Palazzolo's praise ends up being prophetic, the Bengals' offense will be in tremendous shape.
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