Treylon Burks will skip his senior season and enter the 2022 NFL Draft, the star wide receiver announced Wednesday.
The unanimous first-team All-SEC selection has also decided to opt out of Arkansas’ upcoming appearance in the Outback Bowl.
“I have had many restless nights praying and talking with my family regarding this decision,” Burks wrote in a message posted to Twitter. “Other than representing my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, there has been no greater honor in my life than representing Warren and the entire state of Arkansas these past three years.”
The announcement comes just a few days after head coach Sam Pittman told reporters that he didn’t anticipate any players opting out of the bowl, which has become a trend for highly regarded prospects in bowls outside of the College Football Playoff.
Burks will end his career as arguably the greatest wide receiver in UA history. His 146 receptions for 2,399 yards each rank sixth on Arkansas’ career charts, while his 18 receiving touchdowns are tied for fifth and his 10 career 100-yard receiving games rank second.
This season has been by far the best of his career. He is just the fourth player in school history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season, as he finished with 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns on 66 receptions. That yardage total is third on the UA single-season list, while his touchdowns and receptions are tied for second.
Blessed with massive hands and good speed to go with a 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame, Burks is widely projected to be a first-round pick in next April’s NFL Draft. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay each rate him as the sixth-best draft-eligible receiver and include him among their top 30 overall prospects.
In his absence, the Razorbacks could turn to super seniors Tyson Morris and De’Vion Warren in the bowl game, but the future now rests with a pair of former heralded recruits: Florida State transfer Warren Thompson and true freshman Ketron Jackson Jr.
Arkansas also recently landed Oklahoma transfer Jadon Haselwood, the No. 1 wide receiver in the Class of 2019, and it is set to sign Rivals250 receivers Isaiah Sategna and Quincey McAdoo next week.
