Training Camp Profile: OL Jake Burton

Have the Giants found themselves another promising "diamond in the rough" in undrafted free agent offensive lineman Jake Burton?

When it comes to offensive linemen, the Giants have a fair amount of success in identifying players who were initially signed as undrafted free agents but who later developed into quality starters.

Rich Seubert, who went undrafted out of Western Illinois in 2001, is probably one of the most famous examples of a Giant offensive lineman who developed into a quality starter. More recently, Nick Gates, who went undrafted out of Nebraska in 2018, found his way into the starting lineup as a center.

And there is a lot of optimism surrounding Kyle Murphy, who went undrafted last year and who has since been spending time on the practice squad.

That leads us to Jake Burton, the subject of our latest training camp profile. Burton played most of his college ball at UCLA before finishing at Baylor and ended up going undrafted.

But the 6'6", 312-pound offensive lineman is going to get an opportunity to compete for a roster spot this summer, which, if he wins, would make him the latest Giants undrafted offensive lineman success story.

The Giants have hopefully learned not to leave the cupboard bare when it comes to the offensive line. A big reason why this unit went into a state of deterioration after 2011 is that were no promising prospects being developed behind the scenes.

That philosophy has changed under general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge, who will see if Burton can be their next undrafted offensive lineman success story.

Background

Burton was a graduate transfer from UCLA who enrolled at Baylor with an eye on the starting right tackle job.

He was part of some stellar offensive lines for the Bruins, including the group that helped to block for Joshua Kelley, who became the eighth running back in UCLA history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, and a group that helped the running game rush for five straight 200-yard performances for the first time since 1978.

Burton originally began his college career as a defensive lineman but converted to offensive line in the spring of 2017.

In high school (Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California), he was a two-way starter on the defensive line, where he racked up 15 career sacks and 55 tackles for loss, and at tight end, where he caught 26 career pass receptions for 338 yards.

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What He Brings

Burton has played in 29 career games with 23 starts at UCLA.

Like most young offensive linemen, Burton's to-do checklist this year includes better handling of speed rushers, consistent pad level, and refraining from lunging into his blocks when beaten.

That said, he is a smart, alert player who, when he locks on to his man he can neutralize the forward charge. Burton also is a player who is constantly looking for work, meaning when his assignment has been taken care of, he'll look to help a teammate who might need that extra reinforcement.

As Burton becomes acclimated to working against speed rusher and t the tempo of the NFL level itself, he appears to have enough tools to form a solid foundation. Getting loads of reps will go a long way in helping him with that next step, which is why he's probably more destined to be a practice squad player than someone who can step in as a backup right away.

His Contract

Burton signed a three-year contract worth $2.44 million. The deal includes a $15,000 signing bonus, and $25,000 of his first-year salary ($660,000) is guaranteed. Burton will count for $665,000 against the salary cap this year.

Roster Projection/Expectations

Burton probably won't crack the 53-man roster as there is still a matter of getting his technique up to snuff and figuring out if his experience at guard and tackle can transfer to this level.

But based on the signing bonus and guaranteed money provided in his contract, it certainly sounds like he's a guy that they want to develop this year as a potential depth option next season.