Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
Size:
Height: 5112
Weight: 186
Arm: 31 ⅜”
Hand: 8 ¾”
Accomplishments:
First-Team All-Big Ten (2023) • Second-Team All-America (2023) • All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2022) • Third-Team All-Big Ten (2021) • Freshman All-American (2021)
“Denzel Burke is a talented cornerback prospect who offers NFL size, athleticism, and scheme versatility to be a productive coverage defender.”
Strengths:
Quick reactor
Smooth and fluid change of direction
Zone eyes/vision to read route concepts
Concerns:
Stays in backpedal too long, susceptible to being out-leveraged
Average play strength/struggles to defeat stalk blocks
Tackling mechanics/using body as a weapon
Film Analysis:
Denzel Burke is an experienced defender with high-end athleticism and top-end speed, allowing him to carry routes vertically in man coverage. He possesses strong zone vision and awareness, enabling him to read developing route concepts effectively.
Burke excels in man coverage thanks to his vertical, straight-line speed and impressive wingspan. He has the footwork to mirror and match receivers using peer steps, staying on top of routes. In soft-press coverage, he remains square and patient at the line of scrimmage, trusting his ability to read and react to the receiver’s movement. From a press alignment, Burke consistently squeezes receivers toward the sideline and stays hip-to-hip on vertical and out-breaking routes, limiting throwing windows. He’s a smooth mover with fluid hips and active feet, allowing him to stick with receivers through their breaks.
In zone coverage, Burke demonstrates a smooth, controlled backpedal that keeps him in position to either click and close or turn and run with vertically threatening routes. He passes off routes effectively and communicates well with teammates to minimize coverage breakdowns. At the catch point, Burke shows his competitive edge, challenging receivers when the ball is in the air.
However, Burke is currently an inconsistent tackler. While he shows good effort in squeezing and leveraging the football on runs and screens, he can be vulnerable to spin moves in space and has a tendency to slip off tackles. This leads to missed tackles and additional yards after contact for the ball carrier. His functional strength is also a concern when matched against bigger, more physical wide receivers. Additionally, improving his technique against inside releases and in-breaking routes would help him stay in phase during the route, as he has shown some struggles in maintaining coverage across the middle of the field.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Scheme Specific Contributor
Exposures: Oregon (2024), Penn State (2024), Texas (2024), Missouri (2023), Wisconsin (2023), Michigan (2023), Maryland (2023), Western Kentucky (2023)
