Aaron Burbridge, WR Michigan State
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 210 lbs
Hands: 8’’
Wingspan: 73.34’’
40 yard dash: 4.59 (unofficial)
NFL Comparison: Kevin Norwood, Jordan Matthews

 

Scouting Notes: Only the 7th Spartan WR to top 1,000 yds in a single season, Burbridge had a monster senior year on his way to 80 receptions — a Spartan record. It’s kind of a mystery as to why Burbridge fared so well considering he’s not terribly impressive on film, though being Connor Cook’s nN.1 target might be a big part of it. Burbridge catches too many balls against his body, and he doesn’t have great hands — they’re also considerably smaller than most top WRs at just 8’’. That’s much, much smaller. It’s a red-flag for sure. He’s not great after the catch either, as he doesn’t break tackles with consistency. What Burbridge can do is run all of the routes necessary in a pro offense. He’s also got quick feet and superb footwork — though he’s not especially fast or explosive. Burbridge beats defenders on the line with a strong head-fake game and sharp breaks at the tops of his routes. He’s faced some of the top CBs in the college game, and he’s been impressive in most of those contests. Burbridge isn’t scared to go over the middle or catch balls in traffic either. He’s a grinder, and his tenacity and will to succeed cover up a lot of the blemishes in his game. He was not a player we were overly impressed with during Senior Bowl practices, but one that, admittedly, showed up quite a few times in our notes as having flashed nice things. He’s not a prospect that will wow you with his athleticism as much as with his consistency in basically looking the part of an NFL wideout.

Fantasy Outlook: Burbridge shows up when it counts against top defenders — despite his average measureables, and he functions well in a pro-style offense. This should go a long way with teams, even though he’s not the athletic specimen one might expect to become a premier NFL WR. I don’t see him lasting after the 4th or 5th round in the draft. Burbridge fits the NFL best as a slot receiver. He’s someone who’s capable of high volume but won’t necessarily get a ton of scores or take the top off down the field. He reminds me a bit of Jarvis Landry but without such sticky hands. His experience in a pro offense and his route-running prowess makes Burbridge a prime candidate to have a solid, productive rookie year if he can improve in his blocking. We’re not comfortable drafting Burbridge in any early dynasty rookie drafts until we see the situation he falls to. If it’s an advantageous one, a case could be made for spending a 3rd or 4th-round flier on Burbridge.