Nick Saban reveals what the next step is for Jermaine Burton
Jermaine Burton returned to Alabama for his senior year and Nick Saban revealed what he could do to take the next step.
Burton came in with a lot of hype in 2022 after transferring from Georgia. Over the course of two seasons with the Bulldogs, and one national championship, Burton actually put up the best numbers of his career. But it didn’t come without a little controversy.
Saban opened up about Burton’s development going into his final collegiate season.
“Well, I think what Jermaine needs to do is you know, he’s got a lot of talent, a lot of ability,” Saban said. “I think consistency and performance which would come from trust, believing and doing the little things right. Whether it’s getting the right depth on a route, you know, seeing the coverages, holding himself a little bit more accountable to paying attention to detail and doing the little things right.
“And when he does that, he’s an outstanding player. He’s got great ability, and hopefully if we can get him to do that he’ll be able to play with a little more consistency.”
Last year, Burton had 40 catches, 677 yards, seven touchdowns and 16.9 yards per catch. In his career with Georgia and Alabama, Burton has 93 catches, 1,578 yards, 15 touchdowns and 17 yards per catch.
The controversy surrounding Burton, which seemed to subside, involved him allegedly and appearing to strike a female Tennessee fan after the Volunteers stormed the field in a win over Alabama last season.
Burton was not suspended, played the next week against Mississippi State and went into a counseling program.
“It didn’t have any issue with our team,” Saban said last fall. “I think that’s [counseling] what we’re basically trying to do and see if that’s helpful to him.”
If the on-the-field consistency shows up and there are no off-the-field problems, Burton could be a very valuable piece to the Alabama offense.
As a member of the Class of 2020, Burton was a four-star recruit out of Calabasas (Calif.) High, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, when he committed to Georgia. He was the No. 9 overall prospect in the state, the No. 14 wide receiver in the class and the No. 75 overall prospect in the class.