Deion Burks is a wide receiver and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who finished his collegiate career at the University of Oklahoma after beginning it at Purdue. A native of Inkster, Michigan, Burks was a three-star recruit in the 2021 class who joined the Boilermakers and developed into a key contributor after redshirting in 2021. He emerged in 2023 as one of Purdue's most productive pass catchers with 47 receptions for 629 yards and seven touchdowns, earning second-team All-Big Ten recognition and landing on Bruce Feldman's Freaks List for elite physical testing numbers that included a 540-pound squat and GPS-tracked speed above 22 miles per hour. He transferred to Oklahoma for 2024 but saw limited time in five games due to soft-tissue injuries and a concussion before rebounding in 2025 with 58 receptions for 617 yards and four touchdowns across 12 games, giving the Sooners a reliable and dynamic playmaking weapon throughout the season. He finished his college career with 151 receptions for 1,669 yards and 14 touchdowns across two programs.
Measured at 5-foot-9 and 188 pounds with a 4.30-second 40-yard dash and elite athleticism scores at the NFL Combine that ranked second among all receivers, Burks is one of the most explosive and physically gifted smaller receivers in the class. He attacks the ball with natural hands, creates separation with quick-twitch stop-start ability, and becomes a genuine threat to score any time he touches the ball in the open field. His injury history spanning multiple seasons is the primary concern that evaluators must weigh, alongside questions about his ability to win consistently against larger and more physical cornerbacks at the professional level given his modest frame. NFL teams project Burks as a late Day 2 or early Day 3 selection with starting upside as a slot receiver in an offense that deploys manufactured touches and quick-game concepts to leverage his elite speed and after-catch explosiveness.
