The Los Angeles Rams landed defensive back Terrell Burgess in the third round of last week’s draft, adding a versatile playmaker to an already strong secondary.
It was viewed as one of the best picks in the draft, considering the fact that Burgess seems like he’s just scratching the surface on his potential as a football player.
Here are five things to know about the Rams’ third-round pick.
He lined up everywhere last season
Versatility is Burgess’ best asset as a defensive back. He played just about everywhere on defense for the Utes last season, from free safety to defensive line. The Rams figure to use him at safety and nickel corner as a rookie, which will give defensive coordinator Brandon Staley options.
Burgess’ position flexibility will get him on the field early, potentially as the starting corner covering the slot.
He’s excellent in coverage
Burgess may not have the size or length of a prototypical safety or cornerback, but he does have the coverage skills of one. Last season, he ranked 10th among all defensive backs with a coverage grade of 90.4, according to Pro Football Focus.
That’s an impressive number for a player who lined up all over the field.
In today’s pass-happy NFL, being able to cover receivers, tight ends and running backs is crucial. Burgess showed the ability to do that at Utah. It’ll be an asset at the next level, too.
He only has one year of starting experience
One of the knocks on Burgess leading up to the 2020 draft was his lack of experience. He only had one year as a starter for Utah, which came last season. He played just 15 games combined from 2016-2018, making 22 tackles and four pass breakups in that span.
His lack of playing time in college is obviously a concern, but Burgess showed enough last season to make him a Day 2 pick. The Rams should feel confident in his ability to contribute as both a safety and corner – even if it takes him a little longer to adapt to the NFL.
He’s from Southern California
Burgess gets to stay close to home after being drafted by the Rams. He’s from Southern California, specifically the San Diego area, and he’s understandably excited about being able to stay on the West Coast.
“It feels great, it feels great,” Burgess said of staying in Southern California. “I love San Diego. I love being in Southern California, so I’m glad that I get a chance to be able to stay here in California and contribute to a successful team.”
He has ties to Eric Weddle
Like Burgess, Weddle also played safety at Utah. And as a result, the two have built a relationship over time. Burgess stays in contact with Weddle, who has passed on advice during the pre-draft process.
Burgess texted Weddle after the veteran retired earlier this offseason, and after Burgess was drafted, he got texts from Weddle, too.
Weddle shared some advice and words of wisdom with Burgess after the Rams selected him 104th overall.
“I think the biggest thing that he said was just be patient and understand that everything’s on God’s plan of what happens,” Burgess said. “Take it day-by-day and try not stress about it because everything happens for a reason and this is crazy. I think the biggest thing from him, is it’s nice to have somebody that went to my school, went on to the league, is kind of from Southern California and be able to be kind of a mentor for me. So, it feels great. He’s definitely a great mentor, he’s my (college defensive coordinator’s) best friend, so it’s nice. They played together at Utah, so he was a good mentor for me in regard to advice that he gives.”
