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Ben Baby, ESPN Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — Bengals coach Zac Taylor said the team was comfortable with drafting former Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton despite off-field concerns.
In 2022, Burton was seen on video striking a female fan in the head during a field storming after Alabama’s loss at Tennessee. Though Burton was never reprimanded, he came under scrutiny for the incident.
Following his selection, Taylor said the team got to know Burton through the pre-draft process and felt “really good about the pick.”
“We did our research on all these guys that we’ve talked to and made sure we’re aware of every incident they’ve been a part of,” Taylor said. “There’s certainly maturity things that come with some of these guys coming out of these colleges. That’s one of the things he’ll continue to grow with.”
In his post-draft teleconference with local media, Burton acknowledged the incident, said it was something he had to move past and became a situation he learned from. He noted that in a similar incident shortly after the loss to Tennessee, he was one of the first players in the locker room.
“I quickly separated myself and just understand what’s more at stake and just don’t want to take the opportunity for granted,” he said.
Burton began at Georgia before he finished the final two years of his four-year college career at Alabama. In his senior season with the Crimson Tide, he led the team in receiving yards (798) and receiving touchdowns (8). He also showed his capability as a big-play threat by averaging 20.5 yards per reception in his final season.
Cincinnati believes Burton can play a similar role in a group that features Pro Bowler Ja’Marr Chase and standout veteran Tee Higgins, who was given the franchise tag earlier this offseason.
“He’s a legitimate ‘take the top off [the defense]’ deep threat,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said.
Taylor said that with Burton and former Texas A&M defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, who was taken later in the third round with the 97th overall pick, the team used combine and top-30 visits in Cincinnati to further evaluate both players. Taylor said the interactions led to their selections Friday.
Burton said that in his visits with teams he wanted to emphasize that his emotion stemmed from playing the game.
“I express myself a lot through football,” he said. “I just want to play and I don’t care about anything else. Nothing else matters to me.”