Why Jonah Burton Can Be Duke Football’s Go-To Weapon

Football in Durham, North Carolina, remains one of the most underrated parts of the college football season. The Duke Blue Devils were rolling before their bye week and are coming off a 62-7 victory over the FCS William & Mary Tribe.

The star of the show is running back Nate Sheppard, a rare Blue Devil Heisman Trophy contender who returns to action this weekend against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets as coach Manny Diaz’s squad gets back into ACC competition. The passing game, led by quarterback Walker Eget, has improved each week, and the group could be on track to become a strong unit.

Finding a No. 1 Wideout Is Tough

Hasley Duke — Sep 19, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils tight end Jeremiah Hasley (85) reacts to his catch against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While tight end Jeremiah Hasley may be the go-to security blanket for Eget and the offense, the team is still waiting for someone from their wide receiver corps to step up and start making plays.

For the past few weeks, a combination of Jonah Burton, Jared Richardson, Kavon Simmons, Jaivon Solomon, and Jayden Moore has seen their fair share of targets in the passing game, with Burton receiving the most of all wide receivers on the roster, with 16, according to Pro Football Focus.

Burton Duke — Sep 19, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Stanford Cardinal cornerback Jay Green (5) breaks up the pass attempt to Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jonah Burton (6) during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s fascinating that former Charlotte playmaker Javen Nicholas has rarely seen the field, with just one catch for negative one yard. If he starts getting targets, he could be a factor as Eget's go-to wideout.

The competition will be getting tougher for Duke, which means more players will need to step up in ways they haven’t in the first four games of the year. At some point, someone needs to begin making consistent plays.

Why Jonah Burton Could Be Duke’s No. 1 WR

In my eyes, Burton is the only receiver who has made big plays for the Blue Devils through the air. He was a depth player and pass-catcher in the Baylor Bears offense not too long ago, and is now earning the chance to be Duke’s No. 1 weapon on the perimeter.

Burton is built like a running back, but he plays physical after the catch and tracks the ball well on all three levels of the field. He doesn’t have an elite catch radius for contested catches—that’s what Richardson is for—but Burton knows how to get open and make himself available to Eget. Watch for Burton to be leaned on in the Blue Devils' passing game beginning this weekend in Atlanta.

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