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2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ohio State CB Denzel Burke

Related Topics: Denzel Burke, 2025 NFL Draft

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Ohio State CB Denzel Burke.

#10 Denzel Burke/CB Ohio State – 6’1, 193 pounds. (Senior)

MEASUREMENTS

Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Denzel Burke 6’1/193 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A

*Pro Day Measurements/Numbers

– Height you look for in a corner
– Comfortable and solid when rolled up and getting hands on receiver off the line and playing man-to-man
– Fluid turn from press/tight alignment, can turn and run and shows good speed
– Can change directions and stick with in-breaking routes at consistent level
– Stays low in pedal in off coverage
– Works hard to recover and transition off the line
– Experience playing both corners, field corner asked and trusted to play in space
– Able to jam and ride receivers off the LOS
– Willing to come up and tackle in run game/open field
– Excellent starting experience against quality competition
– Durable and didn’t miss time

– Inconsistent technique produces volatile play
– Struggles in off coverage more than tight-man
– Late to open hips gets him beat over the top
– Prone to guessing and opening hips wrong way, getting self turned around and allowing lots of space
– Lacks play strength in run game and as a tackler, pushed around, has trouble shedding blocks, and falls off in gang tackle situations
– Drag down tackler who has trouble getting bigger players to the ground, often allowing them to step out of tackle attempts
– Won’t make a big impact against the run
– Regressed in 2024 and gave up big plays against top opponents (Oregon game)
– Tends to keep eyes in backfield when beat instead of focusing on target and working to get back in-phase downfield

Bio

– Turned 22 in November of 2024
– 35 career starts for Buckeyes
– Career: 143 tackles (9 TFL) 28 PDs, 4 INTs, 1 FF, 1 pick-six
– 2024: 48 tackles (3 TFL) 2 PDs, 2 INTs
– 12 PDs as freshman in 2021
– Four-star recruit from Scottsdale, Arizona, chose Ohio State over Arizona, Auburn, LSU, USC and slew of other schools
– Played DB, RB, and WR in high school, had 719 receiving yards junior year
– Limited to just one game senior year of HS due to shoulder injury that required surgery (told reporters his shoulder popped out and then it “went in”)
– Team captain senior year of HS, played for former NFL QB Jon Kitna for one year
– Opted against declaring in 2023 and returned for final season at Ohio State
– First Buckeyes’ defensive freshman to start season opener since 1996, started on HS varsity team as freshman

Tape Breakdown

Denzel Burke made the journey from Texas to Ohio to become a Buckeye.