Cole Burgess is a wide receiver from the State University of New York at Cortland, a Division III school in the Empire 8 conference. A star for the team, he pulled in 87 receptions for 1,375 yards in the 2023 season. He went on to become a National Champion at the Stagg Bowl after defeating Illinois’ North Central Cardinals in a close 38-37 victory.
Cortland’s number 1 receiver heading into the National Championship game, Burgess finished the game with a game leading 11 receptions, as well as 123 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, proving that he can handle and even excel in high pressure moments.
“His leadership and ability to play his best in the biggest moments was something that we could count on all year long and a huge reason to why we won it all,” said Cortland wide receivers Coach Kyle Gallagher. “We would not have won the National Championship this past season without Cole Burgess.”
Burgess told the Dragon Chronicle that he deals with pressure by processing it and “meditating on it” ahead of time, allowing himself to do what he does best when it truly matters.
“I had most of the pressure when there was no game,” said Burgess. I was handling the pressure in the hotel room the week before or the bus ride to the game. Once I got on the field and once I was playing there’s absolutely no pressure. Even in the 4th quarter, I didn’t have no pressure, I was just playing the game I love.”
Burgess’ ability to thrive under pressure is something that will help him drastically at the next level of football. With only six current NFL players coming from D3 schools, Burgess will need to show teams that he can translate his game to a professional standard.
“At the next level, I’m going to have pressure every day,” said Burgess. “Whether it’s just practice trying to make the team or, say I’m out there on Sundays. At the end of the day, it’s just a game, and this is a game I’ve been playing my whole life, so I try not to think of the pressure.”
One of Burgess’ biggest weapons on the field is his confidence. It allows him to not only deal with pressure, but also to consistently perform at the top of his game. He carries himself with a workhorse work ethic, which allows him to constantly improve on not only his play, but also his leadership abilities.
“I think Cole’s biggest strength on the field is his confidence. Cole always thinks that he is the best player on the field,” said Gallagher. “Cole’s confidence comes from his talent, but mostly his incredible work ethic. He was always the hardest worker on the field, in the meeting room, or watching film. You wouldn’t be able to tell if Cole was playing in practice or in a game because he was giving you everything he had regardless.”
Burgess attended Pro Days at the University at Buffalo and Syracuse University, showcasing his skills to NFL scouts and staff. Burgess was dissatisfied with his results at the University at Buffalo Pro Day due to the turf within the facility, but he was truly able to shine at Syracuse University.
Burgess measured in at 6′ 1/2″ and 193 pounds, with a 73 5/8″ wingspan and 9 1/8″ hands. He benched 21 reps, had a vertical leap of 41 1/2″, and a broad jump of 11′ 5″. He ran times of 4.44 seconds in the 40 yard dash, 6.70 seconds in the 3-cone drill, and 4.23 seconds in the shuttle drill.
Burgess’ broad jump was higher than every wide receiver that participated in the NFL combine, and would have placed 2nd within prospects of all positions.
Burgess ran a faster 40 yard dash and 3 cone drill than Washington’s Rome Odunze, one of the top wide receivers in this years draft. Despite Odunze’s 2 1/2″ height advantage, Burgess makes up for it with a vertical leap 2 1/2″ higher than Odunze.
“Overall, I had a great experience,” said Burgess. “I talked to a lot of scouts and was able to put myself on the map. Playing on the next level, I had to kill the Pro Day, and I felt that I did that.”
Burgess has caught some buzz on X, formerly known as Twitter, with analysts quickly taking notice. ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller posted about Burgess on March 31st, noting that this was the first prospect he had ever scouted from Cortland. CBS Sports NFL Draft Writer Josh Edwards posted Burgess’ name in response to a question regarding any sleepers in the late rounds of this draft.
“I’m a dawg. I’ve been through a lot, and the way that I handle adversity and the way I handle the hard situations is something that not everybody can do,” said Burgess. “No matter what I’m gonna work and I’m gonna be the best I can be. I’m gonna make sure by the end of it that I gave it my all and that I come out on top. I’m a winner.”
The NFL Draft begins on April 25th and ends on April 27th. Friends, family, fans, coaches, and teammates will look on with hope that Cole Burgess will be Cortland’s first NFL draft pick since 1967, when Kicker Bill Shear was taken by the Green Bay Packers in the 10th round (the NFL Draft ran in a 12-round format from 1977 to 1993).
“He is an incredible football player but an even better person. He always walks around with a smile on his face, comes in with a positive attitude, and makes everyone around him better,” said Gallagher. “His positive energy was contagious and something the entire team took on as well. I cannot say enough good things about him as a person. As a player, he is someone who is going to give you absolutely everything he has. He is relentless, accountable, and someone that plays his best in the biggest moments. Cole is not afraid to fail. In fact, failure only makes him stronger.”