Brandon Burks, Troy, RB: 2016 NFL Draft Profile

Brandon Burks

College: Troy

Position: Running Back

Height/Weight: 5-9/203

College Stats: 2,264 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns, 88 catches for 673 yards and three touchdowns receiving.

A multi-sport star at the high school level, Brandon Burks is an under the radar type of prospect that could find a home with a team patient enough to wait for his development. The Alabama native was a top 60 recruit from the state as a senior and chose Troy over an offer from fellow in-state program UAB.

Burks saw his star slowly rise in limited duty during his first three years with the program, combining for only 1,259 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, to go along with 369 yards and one touchdown receiving. Burks finally broke through with 1,005 yards rushing and 304 yards receiving to go along with nine total touchdowns in an impressive senior season. Burks ended his career as a two-time Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt selection.

Pros:

Burks is a multi-purpose running back that can get involved in the running and passing games. Despite playing four years at Troy, Burks does not have much tread used in college. He only had a total of 431 carries in four seasons, a high of only 201 in the 2015 season. Burks' ability to catch the ball out of the backfield has improved with his yards per catch breaking 10 last fall.

Burks is a very explosive athlete that ran a 4.41 40 yard dash at his pro day to go along with a 37-inch vertical jump. He has surprising strength for his size after bench pressing 24 reps at the Troy pro day. Burks has impressed scouts with his tenacity and love of the game, two attributes that are needed at the NFL level.

Cons:

At his size, NFL scouts aren't quite sure what to make of Burks. He has a bit of a bowling ball look compared to the taller backs, making NFL teams a bit gun shy to draft him. He could be a liability in pass protection with bigger linebackers looking to run him over during blitzes.

Burks' leaving college with only 431 carries in four seasons suggests to scouts that he is nothing more than a change of pace back at best.

Where will Burks be drafted?

Unless a team falls in love with the Troy running back, his best best is to end up with as an undrafted free agent signed by a team that has a need a running back. If Burks wants to make an NFL roster, he must be willing to go all out on special teams and prove himself in the preseason.

My prediction is to see Burks signed as an undrafted free agents hours after the NFL draft concludes.