HawgBeat is counting down the 10 most important Arkansas players for the upcoming 2021 season. Links to previous players in the list will be included below.

There is very little debate regarding Arkansas’ best player, as Treylon Burks has already popped in several first-round mock drafts and landed on numerous preseason All-America teams. Pro Football Focus even ranked him as the No. 32 overall player in college football for the upcoming season.

Burks has also seen his importance rise since the end of spring ball because of Mike Woods’ decision to transfer to Oklahoma. The two receivers were set to be one of the top duos in the SEC, but now it’s up to Burks to shoulder those expectations.

Arguably the most physically gifted player to come out of the Natural State since Darren McFadden, Burks was a 5.9 four-star recruit and ranked No. 146 overall in the Class of 2019. However, that was likely due to his lack of interest in going to camps and other events that would get him more exposure. Otherwise, he might have been a borderline five-star prospect and had many more than nine offers.

Once on campus, Burks was a starter from Day 1 and - even though he never found the end zone - he caught 29 passes for a team-high 475 yards in 2019. He was also used as a wildcat quarterback and in the return game, with his 14.4 yards per touch leading all FBS freshmen.

With a new coaching staff, the Warren native put together one of the most dominant seasons by a receiver in UA history. Despite playing in only nine games, which was actually more like eight because of an early injury, Burks caught 51 passes for 820 yards and seven touchdowns.

Had it not been for the injury and a shortened season because of the pandemic, Burks was on pace to catch about 75 passes for 1,215 yards and 10 touchdowns in a 12-game season. That’s without factoring in a bowl game or the fact that his production came solely against SEC opponents.

Blessed with massive hands, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame and speed, Burks is one of the top deep threats in the country. According to PFF, which gave him an outstanding 82.6 overall grade and 88.9 receiving grade, he has 17 receptions of 20-plus yards over the last two seasons, which ranks 10th among Power Five receivers despite him doing it as an underclassman.

In the only game started by KJ Jefferson - this year’s starter - last season, Burks caught 10 passes for 206 yards, so it’s clear that the two have a good connection already and it’s not a stretch to say they’ll be the key to each other’s - and the offense’s - success in 2021.

10. Montaric Brown - CB
9. Ricky Stromberg - C
8. Trelon Smith - RB
7. Bumper Pool - LB
6. Dorian Gerald - DE
5. Myron Cunningham - LT
4. Jalen Catalon - S
3. Grant Morgan - LB
2. Treylon Burks - WR
1. TBA