The Miami Dolphins found a Florida native wide receiver talent in Je’Quan Burton, who signed as an undrafted free agent on April 27.
Burton “is a sure-handed wide receiver” as the Hula Bowl social media team described in November 2022. He fared well in the Hula Bowl in his most recent go-round in January after a solid career at Florida Atlantic.
“Burton was a last-minute add, but played well in front of his hometown crowd in Orlando,” wrote Joe Londergan of Sports Illustrated’s “G5 Football Daily” in January. “He had multiple catches in the game for Team Kai. Burton had 84 catches for 1277 yards and nine touchdowns in three seasons for the Owls.”
As Burton embarks on his shot with the NFL, it’s the latest step in an improbable journey for the 5-foot-10, 187-pound wideout. He first played at FCS Southern Illinois where he didn’t pan out overall, and Burton had to rebuild his collegiate career at junior college power Iowa Central.
“I feel blessed and God leads me,” Burton told the Orlando Sentinel’s Chris Hays in January. “Going through it, there is always going to be trial and error, but as long as you get through it, anything is possible. My journey, for me it was easy, but for a lot of people it might be hard.”
Je’Quan Burton Had a Rollercoaster of College Career
At SIU, he returned 100-yard kick-off against North Dakota State in 2018, but he had an otherwise quiet freshman year. He only had 11 receptions for 139 yards and touchdown, and Burton’s playing time didn’t increase in 2019 amid three receptions and eight kick returns.
Burton spent 2020 at Iowa Central followed by three seasons with FAU. He averaged 15.2 yards per reception and 19.3 yards per kick return in his time with the Owls as made headway on his NFL aspirations.
“When they gave me the call I was excited,” Burton told Hays about the Hula bowl. “Being able to play in front of my family and play in front of my friends one last time … just to come out here and catch the ball and be able to show people what I can do was a great feeling.”
“They don’t really say much. They just tell me how much they are interested and how much they like my game,” Burton added regarding the scouts at the game, “so I take that as a blessing and an opportunity .. and that they will call my name.”
Je’Quan Burton: ‘I Just Keep on Working’
Burton didn’t get his name called in the draft, but the Dolphins’ UDFA signing gives him footing to make the 90-man training camp roster in July. Whether or not he can crack the final 53-man roster or the practice squad remains the question.
“I just keep on working, keeping my head down … what happens in the dark must come to light, so me working out and continuing to do what I do, eventually it was going shine,” Burton said about the process leading up to the Hula Bowl.
“I’m real excited. Just to see your dreams right in your face,” Burton added. “This is something I’ve been dreaming about ever since I was a kid, so to actually be living in it, going through the process is real humbling and it’s a real opportunity.”
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