A Division III national champion out of SUNY Cortland whose athletic testing numbers turned heads well beyond the Empire 8 conference.
Cole Burgess starred at Division III SUNY Cortland, capping his college career with a national championship and eye-catching workout numbers that pushed him onto NFL radars. The Greenwich, New York native signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent before landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Path to the league
Burgess played wide receiver at SUNY Cortland, a Division III program in the Empire 8 conference, and went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a college free agent in May 2024.
Career highlights
Burgess closed his Cortland career with 178 receptions for 3,133 yards and 35 touchdowns over 43 games. His senior season in 2023 produced 87 catches for 1,375 yards, and he was named an All-American after helping Cortland win its first Division III national championship, catching the game-winning touchdown with under two minutes left in a 38-37 Stagg Bowl victory over North Central.
2025 season recap
Burgess spent the 2024 season on the Bengals' practice squad and re-signed with Cincinnati for 2025, but was released that August. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed him to a reserve/future contract in January 2026, and he entered the 2026 offseason as a training-camp receiver to watch.
Sources
- ESPN: Cole Burgess player page
- Steelers Depot: 2026 Steelers Futures Report - WR Cole Burgess
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- injuredReserveOrOut
- College
- SUNY Cortland
- Hometown
- Cold Brook, NY, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- day-to-day
