NFL draft expert Todd McShay has released his third mock draft, his first mock draft since the conclusion of the 2022 NFL Combine. There is a good chance that the Las Vegas Raiders will look at their offensive needs when the NFL draft starts in 2022.
McShay has surmised that the Raiders will select a fan favorite from among the plethora of top receivers available in the upcoming draft. McShay thinks the Raiders will pick Treylon Burks with the 22nd pick in the draft.
Burks is a physical presence on the field, standing at six-foot-two and weighing in at 225 lbs. If you haven’t heard of or seen Burks, you should. My personal favorite is his performance against the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he turned on the jets, logging 179 receiving yards on eight receptions and scoring two touchdowns. There has been an exceptional amount of hype surrounding Burks leading into the Combine, where he did not have the most dominant performance (4.55 40-yard dash, 33-inch vertical, 10’2″ broad jump). Burks had a smooth workout on the field, but it wasn’t as explosive as many people thought it would be because his pro comparison has been AJ Brown, a big, explosive target that Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill likes more than anyone else.
So what did McShay say about the Raiders’ pick?
McShay defends his selection, and he brings up some excellent points you should consider before disputing this pick.
“Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller have been terrific for Las Vegas inside the numbers, but quarterback Derek Carr covets a true outside target. That’s especially true now with Russell Wilson heading to Denver, where the Raiders’ offense has to keep pace with Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Herbert for six of their 17 games each season. Burks provides excellent ball skills, the ability to break tackles, and a 6’2” frame in the red zone. His combine performance didn’t wow many scouts, but the tape shows why he produced 1,104 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches in 2021.“
If I had to critique Burks, I would say he doesn’t run a variety of routes and if you watch his game film, he frequently lines up in the slot or if he is outside, he is assigned a go route. Burks had the ability to play outside, but the Arkansas game plan was to get the ball to their best player as quickly as possible. Without an elite quarterback, it was easier to get the ball in Burks’ hands on quick slants from the slot position or by checking the ball down to him.
How would Burks fit with Carr?
Quarterback Derek Carr has the physical skills to get the best play out of Burks and hit him deep, outside, or inside the field. Additionally, if there had to be a word to describe the Raiders’ redzone offense in 2021, I would choose “abysmal.” Burks would provide a large and dynamic target for Carr to take advantage of in those situations. Head coach Josh McDaniels will undoubtedly create schemes to get Burks the ball and leave Burks to continue to use his physical assets to bully corners and secure additional yards after the catch. In short, Burks is the big-bodied receiver fans were hoping 2020 third round pick Bryan Edwards would be.
McShay hit this one out of the park, and hopefully general manager Dave Ziegler is down to play ball by selecting Treylon Burks for the Silver and Black.
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*Top Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images