The Bengals took the Alabama wide receiver with some off-field concerns but sky-high upside at pick 80.

It seemed inevitable that the Bengals would take a wide receiver in the 2024 Draft with Tee Higgins on the franchise tag and Tyler Boyd leaving in free agency.

Arguably, a wide receiver selection is going to play more than a draft pick in any other position. The board fell just right, and the Bengals were able to add a wide receiver at pick 80, their first pick in the third round.

With pick 80 in the third round, the Cincinnati Bengals select Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton.

The surprise with Burton is the fact that the Bengals took him over guys who were higher on the consensus board, like Troy Franklin. However, a large part of the concern with Burton was due to some reported off-field concerns, on the field many analysts had Burton above Franklin and he is a much more polished prospect than Franklin.

Burton plays outside mainly but can do a little in the slot, which will help him to play a big role as a rookie while also allowing Ja’Marr Chase to run more routes from the slot than he ever could when Tyler Boyd was in stripes. Burton also has the potential to step into the WR2 slot in 2025 if Tee is traded or not tagged and leaves in free agency.

How would you grade the Bengals’ third-round selection of Jermaine Burton? Let us know in the poll and the comments below!