The Indianapolis Colts needed to add someone else to the wide receiver room in the 2026 NFL Draft. They waited until their final selection of the day to address that need by taking former Oklahoma star Deion Burks.
Burks isn't the biggest guy out there. Standing at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, he might be better suited to play in the slot at the next level, even though he played almost exclusively on the outside in Oklahoma. However, given his otherworldly speed and ability to make guys miss, he might be a new secret weapon for head coach Shane Steichen.
Burks ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash and routinely flashed his quick twitch and acceleration. It feels like, given his ability to force miss tackles and explode for yards after the catch, the lack of usage as a deep threat in college was more an indictment of the coaching staff than him.
The Indianapolis Colts landed an underrated playmaker in Deion Burks
Admittedly, he wasn't the most consistent guy, and he needs to add more juice to his route-running. Also, he can struggle against bigger and more physical opposition in the pros. Nevertheless, he looks tailor-made for being a modern-day gadget player. He can be lethal in jet sweeps, and he should be able to contribute as a returner right out of the gate.
Burks is an athletic freak who looks like a track runner. At the very least, he can give the Colts what the Kansas City Chiefs are getting from Xavier Worthy, who was a first-round pick. At best, he can be a speedy downfield threat who will make defenders miss with his elusiveness, smooth hips, and sudden ability to change directions without losing his balance.
The Colts let Michael Pittman Jr. go to make sure that Alec Pierce could stay. Whether that will be a mistake or not is only for Father Time to decide, but it's not a secret that his departure left a huge void in the pass-catchers' room.
Josh Downs and Tyler Warren will handle the bulk of the workload alongside Pierce, but that may not be enough for a team with Super Bowl aspirations and much-improved divisional competition. Also, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has been a rotational piece and a decoy for most of his career, and that's not likely to change now.
The Colts must make sure Burks works on his hands so he can be a more consistent pass catcher, and a bit of bulking up won't hurt. He should find his way to the field as a special teamer right out of the gate, and with the shortage of options at wide receiver, they should definitely give him a shot to show what he's got. He's yet another developmental guy, but the potential is definitely there.