The 2022 NFL draft kicks off on April 28, and it can’t come soon enough for the Chicago Bears, who have a multitude of needs to address.
At the top of that list are offensive line and wide receiver. Trouble is, the Bears have more needs than they do draft picks. As it stands, Chicago holds six selections in the upcoming draft: two picks in the second round (39th and 48th overall), a third rounder (No. 71), two fifth rounders (No. 148 and No. 150) and a sixth round selection (No. 186 overall).
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has suggested he may trade back, using one of his two second-round picks to acquire an additional third or fourth-rounder. Regardless of whether or not he trades down, one analyst is warning Poles and the Bears to stay away from a specific wideout in particular.
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Bears Warned to Avoid WR Treylon Burks in Draft
Jake Rill of Bleacher Report is urging the Bears to stay away from former Arkansas Razorbacks receiver Treylon Burks.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if Chicago comes away with a wide receiver on Day 2 of the draft, using either one of its two second-round picks or its third-round selection,” Rill wrote on April 11. “But it needs to make sure it makes the right decision on which offensive playmaker to take.”
Pro Football Network draft expert Tony Pauline has stated he thinks Burks could slip into the second round — but Rill thinks Chicago should avoid Burks at all costs, even if he does slip.
“The 22-year-old had a disappointing showing at the NFL combine earlier this year. And while that doesn’t always mean a player won’t go on to have success, it didn’t help his draft stock. Even if he’s still on the board when the Bears are first on the clock, they may want to look at receivers other than Burks.”
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Burks’ Combine Performance Hurt His Draft Stock
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Burks had an excellent season in 2021, hauling in 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns. In his 32 games with the Razorbacks, he finished with 146 receptions for 2,399 yards (16.4 yards per catch) and 18 touchdowns. He also averaged an impressive 9.3 yards after the catch last year.
His combine performance raised concern, however.
He had a 4.55-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, which raised a few eyebrows, and the rest of his numbers were on the lower end of the spectrum, as well. He had a 33-inch vertical jump, a 122 broad jump and a 7.28-second three-cone drill. Those numbers may seem insignificant, but they could also be telling.
According to Pro Football Reference, just 39 wide receivers in the history of the combine have had a vertical of 34 inches or less and a three-cone drill time of 7.25 seconds or more like Burks did. Of those 39, only former wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Chad Johnson went on to have long and successful careers in the NFL. The other 37 wideouts? Not so much.
When considering the draft has myriad other talented receivers that should be available to the Bears on Day 2, including Alec Pierce and David Bell, the Bears shouldn’t reach for Burks. If he falls to the later rounds, maybe, but considering his questionable combine results, Chicago may be best served heeding Rill’s advice.
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