Cleveland Browns: Treylon Burks needs to be a top draft target

The Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver room was incredibly underwhelming in 2021. With the thirteenth overall pick in this years draft, that needs to change

597 yards, 34 receptions, and three touchdowns. Those are the statistics of Donavan Peoples-Jones, the Cleveland Browns 2021 receiving leader. In a 17 game season, the Browns could not get a single pass-catcher to 600 yards. Yes, the Browns operate a zone run scheme, and there is not a big emphasis on wide receivers.

However, you can’t compete at the top level without a true “X” receiver on the outside. It is about time for Cleveland to get their wide out of the future. Luckily for the Browns, that very “X” receiver could be sitting at the 13th overall pick from Arkansas.

Treylon Burks is the man for the job in Cleveland. He may get somewhat overshadowed by the absurdly talented Garrett Wilson or even his Ohio State counterpart Chris Olave. But I would be willing to bet my money if Treylon Burks played his career in a Buckeyes uniform, he would be the talk of the town. He would be the runaway favorite for the Browns first-round pick.

How Burks fits with the Cleveland Browns

Cleveland lacks true physicality and size when it comes to wide receivers. Burks checks off both of those boxes in one. His 6-3 frame would make him the tallest receiver on the roster. That height is perfectly paired up with 225 pounds of talent. This intriguing build is very similar to the last truly dominant “X” receiver the Browns have had, Josh Gordon.

Forget the engrossing frame, his film speaks for itself. Somebody his size should not possess the athletic ability, fluidity, and breakaway speed that he does. A prime example of this was against Georgia Southern where he took a screen pass 91 yards effortlessly. He gets to his top speed instantly and is never going to be caught from behind. After the catch, he’s as smooth of a runner as it gets. His slippery and pugnacious nature as a ball carrier reminds me of San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, Deebo Samuel.

Burks has showcased that he’s not just a guy that will catch it underneath and win with YAC. He has flashed strong, but not great route running ability due to his hip fluidity and body control.

Cleveland has struggled mightily winning one-on-one in man coverage. This is something that hurt them all season long, leading to an abundance of coverage sacks. Luckily for the Browns, Burks is a one-on-one nightmare.

Another trait that makes Treylon Burks so special is his ability to win downfield. He doesn’t do it in just one way though. Burks can consistently gain separation on the deep ball and get you a 50-yard touchdown.

If he doesn’t win by getting separation, he wins the 50/50 ball. He has made himself a weekly highlight reel with the number of contested catches he wins. His otherworldly size and speed combination is simply too much for most defensive backs to handle.

Unfortunately, as is true for every prospect, there are some downfalls. Luckily for Burks, they are not significant and can be fixed at the next level.

At times he finds himself losing concentration and dropping a catchable ball. This was an issue that wasn’t too consistent throughout his career, but those said drops will be inexcusable in the NFL. Burks also has a bad habit of running his routes with tall shoulders.

He needs to lower his pad level on a more consistent basis so he does not sacrifice any speed in his routes. As mentioned though, no prospect is perfect, and these are fixable issues.

Treylon Burks was a man among boys at Arkansas. As an overall receiver, his strong smooth play style is very reminiscent of the Tennessee Titans star wide receiver, AJ Brown. They both have an imposing physical presence over defensive backs and dominate when the ball is in their hands.

Both run aggressive routes, and have reliable strong hands. When it comes to run blocking, both will do it when asked even if it isn’t their strongest skill set. Cleveland is craving a play-making pass catcher. If the Cleveland Browns want to quell that craving, they need to draft Treylon Burks with the 13th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.