Jager Burton 2026 NFL Draft Profile
Jager Burton enters the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the more intriguing interior offensive line prospects. Played all three interior line positions, best fit at center in the NFL. Had a rough first season at center in 2023, but produced a solid season at center in 2025. He didn’t allow a sack or quarterback hit last season. Burton wowed at the NFL Combine, demonstrating how agile he is, especially on the move. The film backs it up, too. He excels at getting to the second level. He has struggled, however, matching up with tackles. Burton has struggled against bull rushers. His versatility, mobility and intelligence have seen him rise on draft boards.
Jager Burton 2026 NFL Draft Overview
Position: Guard/Center
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 312 pounds
School: Kentucky
2026 NFL Draft Jager Burton Scouting Report
Strengths
- 4.94 second 40 yard dash and 9’3” broad jump are mind blowing for a 312 pound beast;
- Broad jump leap placed him at the 98th percentile for linemen;
- Burton’s Relative Athletic Score at the Combine was 9.91, 7th best recorded since 1987;
- Demonstrated skill at pulling and making blocks at the second level;
- Experienced at left guard, center and right guard;
- Elite athlete, wowed at the combine;
- Even when defeated at the point of attack, quick recovery time to re-engage blocks;
- Allowed zero sacks and zero quarterback hits in 2025;
- High football IQ, handles blitzes and stunts from all three interior line positions;
- Quick feet, nimble as a dancer;
- Ideal fit in an outside zone running game system;
- Handles linebackers in space, big asset in down hill running game;
Jager Burton is a OC prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.88 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 10 out of 735 OC from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/c8eNLCUiJA pic.twitter.com/DyiYFOdQot
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 12, 2026
Weaknesses
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His height makes him prone to getting beat by powerful tackles;
- Center of gravity is higher than ideal for interior linemen, can struggle against bull rush attacks;
- 32 ½” arms less than ideal for interior offensive line, 16th percentile at the combine;
- Lacks powerful mauler mentality needed for short yardage situations;
- Struggles at the point of attack against stout defensive tackles;
- Struggled with making snaps in 2023 season, produces some uncertainty how he will fare as a center against top nose tackles;
The first OL under 5 seconds is Kentucky's Jager Burton, who runs a 4.96u 💨
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/GIQpweGpuU— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2026
NFL Comparison: Cam Jurgens
Teams With Need At Position: Baltimore Ravens Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Los Angeles Rams Minnesota Vikings Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans
Projection: Rounds 4-5
Bottom Line on Jager Burton
Burton is an elite athlete and versatile, possessing experience at center and guard. His best position is projected to be center. Burton is not built to maul defenders at the point of attack, but when he gets to the second level, punishes linebackers. Teams reportedly high on Burton fitting into their zone blocking system include the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, and New York Giants. Three teams with holes at center are eyeing Burton as a candidate to start on Day 1: Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and Tennessee Titans.
