Jermaine Burton

Jermaine Demetrius Burton (born June 28, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama before being selected by the Bengals in the 3rd round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Jermaine Burton

No. 81 – Cincinnati Bengals
Position:	Wide receiver Return specialist
Personal information
Born:	(2001-06-28) June 28, 2001 (age 24) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	204 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Calabasas (Calabasas, California)
College:	Georgia (2020–2021) Alabama (2022–2023)
NFL draft:	2024: 3rd round, 80th pick
Career history
Cincinnati Bengals (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
CFP national champion (2021)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Receptions: 4 Receiving yards: 107 Return yards: 378 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Burton attended Calabasas High School in Calabasas, California. Burton was selected to play in the 2020 Under Armour All-America Game.^[1] A four-star recruit, Burton committed to play college football at the University of Georgia.^[2][3]

College career

As a true freshman at Georgia in 2020, Burton played in 10 games having three touchdowns and 404 yards on 27 receptions.^[4][5] Burton recorded a career high two touchdowns and 197 yards in a 31–24 victory over Mississippi State.^[6] As a sophomore in 2021, Burton played in 12 games tallying five touchdowns, 497 yards, and 26 receptions.

In January 2022, Burton announced he was transferring to the University of Alabama to play for the Crimson Tide.^[7] At the conclusion of the 2022 game against Tennessee, Burton struck a female Tennessee fan in the head as Tennessee fans rushed the field.^[8][9] He declared for the 2024 NFL Draft after leading Alabama with 798 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.^[10]

Statistics

Season	Games	Receiving
	GP	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Georgia Bulldogs
2020	10	27	404	15.0	3
2021	14	26	497	19.1	5
Alabama Crimson Tide
2022	13	40	677	16.9	7
2023	13	39	798	20.5	8
Career	50	132	2,376	18.0	23

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	Vertical jump	Broad jump
6 ft 0+1⁄4 in (1.84 m)	196 lb (89 kg)	31 in (0.79 m)	9+7⁄8 in (0.25 m)	4.45 s	1.53 s	2.61 s	38.5 in (0.98 m)	11 ft 1 in (3.38 m)
All values from NFL Combine[11][12]

Cincinnati Bengals

Burton was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round, 80th overall, of the 2024 NFL draft.^[13] He recorded his first NFL catch in the Bengals' Week 2 game against Kansas City Chiefs, for 47 yards.^[14] The Bengals would go on to lose the game 26–25.^[15] In 14 total games for Cincinnati, Burton compiled 4 receptions for 107 scoreless yards. On January 3, 2025, it was announced that Burton would not be traveling with the team to Pittsburgh to play in their season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a coach's decision.^[16]

Personal life

On December 30, 2024, Burton was allegedly involved in a domestic dispute where he choked and hit his ex-girlfriend after breaking into her home.^[17]