Cole Burgess

Cole Burgess, WR/KR
SUNY-Cortland

  • Ht: 6’1”
  • Wt: 200 lbs.
  • Hometown:
    Greenwich, NY
  • Born: February 11, 2000

Scouting Report: Considered to be the greatest wide receiver in Cortland Football history…Cortland’s career leader with 3,133 receiving yards and 35 receiving touchdowns…Ranks second with 178 receptions…Has height, weight and speed traits…Threat to score anywhere on the field whether as a wide receiver or returner…Game-breaking ability…Smooth accelerator to very good top-end speed…Catches the ball well with excellent body control…Strong work ethic, high character, football intelligence and competitive toughness.

Career Highlights

Career Summary

2023: Key playmaker and MVP-caliber contributor to Cortland’s first-ever NCAA Div. III National Championship Team…Selected First Team Associated Press (AP) Division III All-America…Second Team D3football.com All-American…Named to D3Football.com’s Second Team All-Region 2…Earned First Team All-Empire 8 honors for the fourth time in his career…In 14 games, led the team in receptions (87), receiving yards (1,375) and receiving TDs (16)…set school single-season records for receptions and receiving yards and tied the school mark for receiving touchdowns…Recorded six 100-yard receiving games, including each of Cortland’s final three NCAA contests…Caught three TD passes in the national semifinals and two in the finals.

2022: Earned First Team All-ECAC and All-Empire 8 and Third Team D3Football.com All-Region honors…Played in and started 10 games…Caught 37 passes for 816 yards and a team-high 11 TDs…Averaged 22.1 yards per reception…Averaged 20.6 yards on seven kickoff returns…Had four receptions for 161 yards with two TDs and a season-long of 81 yards in a home win versus St. John Fisher…Caught a season-high six passes for 105 yards and a TD and returned three kicks for 53 yards at Randolph-Macon in the first round of the NCAA Div. III playoffs…Grabbed four passes for 140 yards and three TDs and returned one kick for 26 yards in a home victory versus The College of New Jersey…Caught five passes for 110 yards in a home win versus Wittenberg…Had four receptions for 83 yards in a victory at Brockport…Grabbed three passes for 62 yards and two TDs in a home win versus Morrisville…Caught two passes for 58 yards and two TDs and returned two kicks for 49 yards in a victory at Utica…Pulled in three passes for 44 yards against Ithaca at Yankee Stadium…Caught four passes for 30 yards and a TD in a win at Buffalo St.

2021: Did not compete.

2020: Member of the program but season canceled.

2019: Earned First Team All-Empire 8 honors as a wide receiver, all-purpose player and return specialist…Named to the D3Football.com National Team of the Week once…Played in and started the first 10 games of the season…Led the team with 52 receptions, 904 yards, 17.4 yards per catch and eight TD receptions…Averaged 7.8 yards on eight punt returns…Averaged 27.0 yards on 15 kickoff returns with one TD and a long of 84 yards…Added five tackles and one blocked kick…Had eight receptions for 187 yards and two TDs and returned three kicks for 76 yards in a victory at St. John Fisher…Caught 10 passes for 109 yards and a TD and returned three kicks for 57 yards in a win at Hartwick…Returned a kick 84 yards for a TD, caught three passes, returned a punt 22 yards and blocked a punt in a home win versus Alfred…Caught eight passes for 129 yards and two TDs, rushed twice for nine yards and added three tackles in a home victory versus Utica…Had four receptions for 103 yards and two TDs and a kickoff return for 44 yards in a win at The College of New Jersey…Caught four passes for 101 yards and a TD and returned four punts for 30 yards in a home win versus Fitchburg St…Recorded seven receptions for 122 yards at home versus Brockport…Caught five passes for 82 yards and returned two kicks for 50 yards in a victory at Morrisville St…Had three receptions for 56 yards and two kick returns for 53 yards against Ithaca at MetLife Stadium.

2018: Earned First Team All-Empire 8 and Third Team D3Football.com All-East honors as a kick returner…Played in nine games…Caught two passes for 38 yards…Averaged 28.7 yards on 24 kick returns with two TDs and a long of 97 yards…Had a 36-yard reception and averaged 49 yards on three kick returns with a 97-yard TD in a home win versus St. John Fisher…Averaged 46.8 yards on four kick returns with a 95-yard TD in a home victory versus Framingham St…Caught a pass and returned three kicks for 68 yards at Brockport…Averaged 23 yards on three kick returns in a home win versus Morrisville St.

High School: A 2018 graduate of Greenwich…Four-year starter on the football team…Earned all-league honors three times…Named the Class D Player of the Year his senior year..Earned all-state honors his junior and senior years…Four-year starter on the baseball team…Earned all-league honors four times…Three-time all-state selection…One-year member of the track and field team…Set the school record in the 300 meters…Earned all-league honors.

Other: Mother Colleen and Aunt Shari both graduated from Cortland…Was a member of Cortland’s baseball team.