Jermaine Burton 'has shown a lot of maturity' in Year 2 at Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Jermaine Burton is one of Alabama’s top returning wide receivers from last year’s team and the only senior in his position room. After a strong summer, Burton is poised to once again make an impact within the Crimson Tide offense, but in addition to that, after over a year in the program, he has shown signs of being a leader.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban spoke highly of the senior wideout on Wednesday.

“I think Jermaine has shown a lot of maturity,” Saban said. “I think the big thing we’ve tried to emphasize with all of our players – and with Jermaine, as well – who you are off the field sort of carries over into who you are on the field. So if you can be responsible and accountable to do things off the field, whether it’s go to class, see a tutor, whatever it is, then that’s going to create the right habits for you to do the right thing on the field. 

“You don’t get discipline when you go on the field. You get it in your life when you start getting up in the morning and start making choices and decisions about what you’re going to do and what you’re not going to do. And that’s something that he’s learned to understand, and I think that has carried over off the field as well as on the field. 

“I think that’ll help him be more successful in whatever his challenges are in the future because he could have a really good career if he could continue to progress in that area.”

Burton is now in his second year at Alabama but fourth at the college level after a couple of years at Georgia. He joined the Crimson Tide last offseason and ended the 2022 campaign as the team’s leader in receiving yards. Burton posted career-highs in catches (40), yards (677) and receiving touchdowns (7) after appearing in all 13 games and making 12 starts.

Against Middle Tennessee last week, Burton caught three passes for 62 yards and a 48-yard touchdown in the season opener. He was on the receiving end of the longest play of the game and averaged 20.7 yards per reception. After the 56-7 win over the Blue Raiders, Burton was made available for interviews and was asked about his decision to return to UA.

Burton’s answer echoed what his head coach said after Wednesday’s practice.

“I just really wanted to mature,” Burton said. “I really wanted to mature into a leader. I don’t know, I love this group of receivers. I honestly just really wanted to show them a really good example and really lead them because the potential that they have, it’s insane. 

“The potential that these receivers have to be is insane. Anything I can do to show them, any experience I can show them, any veteran, experienced moves I can help them out with or anything. How they can line up and look at the defense and scan the field, I’m really just on them about that. 

“That was really my main thing coming back – stepping up and being a leader and maturing into a great leader.”

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