Game Film of Ohio State CB Denzel Burke is Revealing

Ohio State cornerback (CB) Denzel Burke is gaining a lot of first-round steam headed toward the 2024 NFL Draft, but the game film says to slow down.

Over 65% of the NFL Draft Community currently sees Burke as a first-round talent; Pro Football Network, Draftwire, 247Sports, CBS, Fox Sports, NBC Sports Chicago, Clutch Points, The Score, The 33rd Team, Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus, and Draft Kings.

I am nowhere near a first-round grade on Burke based on the six games I studied last season. First-round corners need to be polished and show elite short-area burst so they can close on the ball and make plays. That’s not Burke.

Burke looked raw and excelled best as a zone corner and really struggled in man coverages (press and off). Receivers caught practically everything thrown in his direction.

Burke is anything but a play maker.

What number is he?

It was somewhat confusing watching him on game film because he started last season wearing jersey No. 5, however, switched to jersey No. 10 before the Rutgers game. If that wasn’t confusing enough, he wore No. 29 his freshman season.

Fansided wrote, “I understand if this is the number he wanted to wear out of high school but couldn’t because it was occupied by Marcus Williamson.”

Why the switch during the season?

“After thinking he wanted a single-digit uniform number last season and choosing No. 5, Burke decided to change to 10, the number he wore at Scottsdale’s Saguaro High School. He expects to keep that for the rest of his Buckeye career,” according to Cleveland.com.

With the reported struggles early on last season, one has to wonder if he wanted to distance himself from that on game film?

That’s the kind of stuff that crosses my mind.

Struggles continued

It didn’t work.

Burke continued to struggle.

No question, Burke has the raw straight-line speed on vertical routes to competitively stay in phase with receivers (Penn State). That’s the intrigue. He also covers with physicality and attitude, which also draws you in, but he just doesn’t have the top-shelf technique, which is why receivers victimized him.

It all culminated when he essentially gave up the winning touchdown to Georgia in the corner of the end zone in the Peach Bowl causing Ohio State to lose 42-41.

Has a lot to prove

I’m not like the rest of the draft media, my end game isn’t clicks, as I am trying to get back into the league, so I can’t be all willy-nilly with the grades.

I really liked former Ohio State and current Falcons corner Jeff Okudah when he played in college. Okudah went first-round No. 3 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Burke is nowhere near as pro-ready as Okudah was.

Can he improve?

The jury is still out, but I can tell you that his noticeably slow reactions and reluctance in support on this film aren’t helping his cause.

#10 Denzel Burke 6-foot-1, 190 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: Fourth-Round (I wouldn’t select him)

Projected by 66.3% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of August 16, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed (Jersey No. 5 vs. Notre Dame, No. 10 in all other games): Michigan, Notre Dame, Iowa, Maryland, Penn State, and Georgia (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 34 tackles (24 solo), 0 INT and 5 pass breakups

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Lanky athletic corner with good straight-line speed but lacks flexibility and has average technique. Has a physical edge. Has the attitude for press man, but is too reactionary and lacks what it takes to break on the ball to compensate. Spent a lot of time in off-man schematically. Decent close after the damage has been done to secure tackles. Physical but not a wrapping tackler. Sent on blitzes, but even on a clean attempt vs. Georgia couldn’t get there in time and in other games couldn’t make quick pocket adjustments. Most notes negative and neutral against the run. Reluctant in support.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. How does he look in man coverage?

2. Any interceptions?

3. How many passes defended?

4. Slow to react?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.