Bengals rookie WR Jermaine Burton's best attributes get compared to three-time Pro Bowler

The excitement around Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton is palpable.

Cincinnati selected Burton in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and the consensus of the pick has been overwhelmingly positive. Burton didn't last 80 picks due to a lack of talent, and now that he's on a team led by a great quarterback and leaders who embrace him , there's reason to believe he can live up to the hype.

Even if that hype is reaching Odell Beckham Jr. levels.

NFL Draft analyst and owner Football Gameplan Emory Hunt was extremely high on Burton's game prior to the draft. He graded Burton as the second-best wideout in this year's class, and was reminded of OBJ when watching the playmaker at Alabama.

"[Burton's] very much like Odell Beckham Jr. in terms of his explosiveness and how he's a straight game-breaker," Hunt said on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast last week.

Hunt is not an analyst that would spout exaggerated analysis for clicks, and he was rightfully careful with how he worded his praise for Burton. Putting any sort of expectations that involve peak-Beckham can be dangerous, but with Burton, Hunt and the tape seem to be aligned.

Burton led the SEC in yards per reception in 2023 and was a menace to cover in one-on-one situations. What separated (literally) Beckham during his best years was his ability to break off huge gains off slants and other short targets, which is baked into Burton's game as well.

It didn't take long for Beckham to translate his traits into production. He was a Pro Bowler and won Offensive Rookie of the Year in his first season. Hunt expects Burton to be an immediate contributor as well.

"This was a huge pickup for Cincinnati," Hunt said of the pick. "Because I feel like he's gonna have a tremendous impact as a rookie. His ability to really go and get the ball deep down the field, to take a short pass a long way, and he can play inside or outside. I love this pickup for Cincinnati."

Burton should have a clear runway to make that impact this season. The Bengals needed a strong No. 3 wideout to pair with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins after Tyler Boyd's departure. Burton can play both in the slot like Boyd, and stretch the field vertically out wide like Chase, which gives Cincinnati flexibility with all three of their starters at the position.

Like Beckham, Burton's elite traits will get him on the field early. The rest is up to him.

Related: Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton is already being made into a better receiver thanks to Joe Burrow