The University of Alabama is a football factory for several positions, including wide receiver.
Nick Saban recruited names such as Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs III, and Jaylen Waddle, turning them into first-round selections for the National Football League. He brought in Jameson Williams from Ohio State via the NCAA transfer portal, and he will be a first-rounder next month. Jermaine Burton assisted the Georgia Bulldogs to a College Football Playoff National Championship victory over Alabama, but he chose to transfer to Tuscaloosa.
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Since his arrival, Burton has impressed Saban and the coaching staff.
He and Bryce Young have a friendship stemming from high school camps in California, and Burton feels at home catching passes from the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. He caught 53 passes for 901 yards and eight touchdowns at Georgia. Burton was fifth on the roster for receptions (26), second for yards (497), and tied for second in touchdowns (five) in 2021 with the Bulldogs.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is a smooth receiver inside or outside. He played in a different system at Georgia, but Saban knows Burton’s skill set will transition well to the Crimson Tide’s offense.
“Jermaine Burton has done a really good job,” Saban said Wednesday after Alabama’s third spring practice. “He’s been a real positive addition to the receiver corps. He’s got quickness, speed, good hands, and runs good routes. He has done an outstanding job.”
Saban said Burton’s experience and maturity make him a fit for the team.
The transfer has also been helping younger receivers understand the offense in practice.
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Young said Burton has put in extra work with him after practice, and he meets with Holman Wiggins (wide receivers coach) to gain more knowledge of the offense. Jameson Williams, Richard Mullaney, and Gehrig Dieter started for the Tide as transfer receivers.
Burton has the same mentality, and he is coming for high draft value.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
