CINCINNATI — Jermaine Burton is picking up NFL life quickly and it's earned him playing time en route to a game-altering impact this past Sunday. The Bengals rookie wide receiver caught his first NFL pass for 47 yards against the Chiefs.

Following strange preseason usage that included fourth-string reps and returning kicks on special teams, a report said Burton faced a redshirt year, aligning with some of the pre-draft concerns that cratered his otherwise immensely talented draft stock.

From the moment Jermaine Burton was drafted, the strength of the Cincinnati Bengals' locker room was put under the spotlight. Can a collection of veterans entrenched in a winning culture steer the third-round pick in the right direction for success?

Bengals Rookie Jermaine Burton on Praise From Joe Burrow