Denzel Burke

Position:
Cornerback
Height:
6-1
Weight:
190
Hometown:
Phoenix, Ariz.
Last School:
Saguaro
Year:
Junior

Follow on Social Media
Twitter: @King10Burke
Instagram: @_denzel.burke_

Ohio State Overview
• Denzel capped an outstanding four-year career with the Buckeyes by starting all 16 games as a senior in 2024 to set the record for most starts by a defensive back - 51 - and to climb into a 50-starts club at Ohio State that only includes Billy Price (2014-17) and Luke Fickell (1993-96)
• Tied for the team lead in 2024 with two interceptions (vs. Akron and Michigan State)
• Set his personal best with 48 total tackles in 2024 with 37 solo stops that raised his career solos total to 107 and career tackles total to 142
• Played on an Ohio State defense that ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense and scoring defense and was No. 3 in pass defense and rush defense
• Named third-team all-Big Ten as a senior
• Ranks sixth in Ohio State history with 28 career pass break-ups
• His four interceptions, including a "pick-6" vs Rutgers of 23 yards in 2021 and one versus Youngstown State in 2023, give him 32 total passes defended
• Had a fine junior season in 2023 when he earned second-team All-America honors and first-team all-Big Ten honors by the coaches after recording 10 passes defensed (nine pass break-ups; one interception) and had 24 tackles including three tackles-for-loss
• Led the 2023 team in both passes defended and PBUs
• Started 11 times in 2022 and was second on the team with five pass break-ups and also contributed 34 total tackles
• Had an outstanding true freshman campaign in 2021 when he started all 13 games, led the team with 13 total passes defensed and recorded 36 total tackles, including 28 solo stops
• His 12 pass break-ups in 2021 rank 10th in Ohio State single season history
• Named a freshman All-American by ESPN, The Athletic and 247Sports
• Earned third-team all-Big Ten Conference honors
• The first Ohio State true freshman to start the season opener on defense since Andy Katzenmoyer in 1996
• Made 10 unassisted tackles and 11 total in the 2021 win over Purdue
• Has personal best of three pass break-ups vs. Minnesota and has recorded two six times (vs. Indiana, Western Kentucky and Maryland in 2023, vs. Arkansas State in 2022 and vs. Tulsa and Nebraska in 2021)

Honors & Awards
2024: Graduated in December with his degree in sport industry, third-team all-Big Ten Conference
2023: Second-team All-American (Walter Camp), first-team all-Big Ten Conference (coaches)
2022: Honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference
2021: Freshman All-American (ESPN, The Athletic, 247Sports); third-team all-Big Ten Conference

More on Denzel
• Denzel was one of 14 from the recruiting class of 2021 to enroll in classes in January of 2021
• A four-star prospect who is the nation’s No. 8-rated athlete by 247Sports
• Played both defensive back and wide receiver in high school
• Attended Brophy Prep in Phoenix before transferring to Saguaro
• The Arizona Republic’s No. 1-ranked game-changing cornerback and athlete
• Played in one game his senior season before it was cut short due to injury
• Played seven games as a junior in 2019 and averaged 44.7 receiving yards per game with four touchdowns
• Added 337 rushing yards on 24 carries and two interceptions
• At Brophy Prep, helped the Broncos improve from 1-9 as a freshman to 7-4 as a sophomore when he racked up 50 receptions for 719 yards and averaged 84.2 all-purpose yards per game
• Is the son of Deya and Zafiro Burke

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