How Alabama football revamped its roster in the transfer portal
By Eric Finney
Jermain Burton, WR (Georgia)
Burton transferred into the program for this spring semester following his departure from the University of Georgia. Interestingly, Burton transferred in from a conference rival who defeated Alabama in the national title game.
Burton and Nick Saban are familiar with each other throughout the years. He was highly recruited from Calabasas High School in Southern California. The four-star recruit yielded several offers from the top universities, with Alabama being in the race, and developed a relationship that obviously made a lasting impact.
On the field, Burton is a silky smooth athlete that provides the Crimson Tide with a viable playmaker on the perimeter. Standing at six feet tall and 200 pounds with 4.4 speed, Burton will give this offense a jolt of versatility. Evidenced by his game film at Georgia, Burton can line up in the backfield as a running back, receive the ball on a jet sweep, catch a designed screen, or punish defenders by going vertical. He’s a quintessential jack-of-all-trades offensive weapon.
During his tenure at Georgia, he recorded 53 catches, 901 yards, and eight touchdowns. A main component for Burton’s transfer from UGA was the inconsistency that their offense provided with getting the ball into his hands. He was under-utilized for most of his tenure but would have periods of explosive production that renders the question of his potential in a scheme that features his ability on a consistent basis.
Expect Alabama to feature Burton in both the slot and outside as the “Z” receiver. The key will be to allow Burton free releases off the line of scrimmage to capitalize on his quickness to separate from mismatched safeties and/or linebackers. Take a look at the 49-yard vertical seam that he caught during the 2020 season vs. Mississippi State from the slot alignment or the 57-yard vertical he caught in 2021 vs. Michigan in the playoff semifinal from the “Z” alignment.
The recipe for Burton’s future success in the Crimson Tide’s scheme equates to yards after catch (YAC) opportunities with screens, game-planned runs/sweeps, and vertical shots to prey on defensive mismatches.