Steelers Bet Big on Division III Standout Wideout
The Steelers signed wide receiver Cole Burgess to a reserve/future contract for the 2026 season. He has remarkable sideline awareness. He’s great at finding the open spots in zone coverage. Burgess consistently plays with a competitive demeanor. He’s always been excellent at thriving under pressure. The 25-year-old also has kickoff return experience.
The Cincinnati Bengals signed Burgess as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He played in two preseason games and remained on the practice squad for the 2024 season. The Bengals re-signed him ahead of the 2025 season. Burgess played in three preseason games. He was waived in late August during final roster cuts.
Burgess is six-foot-one. He weighs 192 pounds. He posted stellar numbers coming out of the State University of New York at Cortland. The university is a Division III school in the Empire Eight Conference. His 40-yard dash time was 4.45 seconds. His three-cone drill time was 6.72 seconds. His vertical leap was 41.5 inches.
Burgess played for the Cortland Red Dragons for four of the six seasons he was with them. He earned first-team All-Empire Eight honors in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023. In 2023, he set a school record for single-season receiving yards. He recorded 87 receptions for 1,375 yards. He also had 16 touchdowns that season. He helped the Red Dragons become National Champions in 2023. They defeated Illinois’ North Central Cardinals 38-37 at the Stagg Bowl.
Cortland wide receivers coach Kyle Gallagher spoke about Burgess’ performance during the 2023 season. He said, “His leadership and ability to play his best in the biggest moments was something that we could count on all year long and a huge reason to why we won it all.” He added, “We would not have won the National Championship this past season without Cole Burgess.” Throughout his college football career, Burgess amassed 178 receptions for 3,133 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Gallagher discussed the young wide receiver’s confidence. He explained, “I think Cole’s biggest strength on the field is his confidence. Cole always thinks that he is the best player on the field. Cole’s confidence comes from his talent, but mostly from his incredible work ethic. He was always the hardest worker on the field, in the meeting room, or watching film. You wouldn’t be able to tell if Cole was playing in practice or in a game because he was giving you everything he had, regardless.”
