When meeting with a contingent of reporters after Ohio State’s second practice of the spring on Thursday, cornerback Denzel Burke couldn’t help but crack a smile after getting asked about appearing in the upcoming college football video game this summer.
Burke was the first OSU player to publicly announce he’ll be appearing in the game and estimated his overall rating should be around 95. EA Sports game developers probably don’t assign a rating to confidence, but if they did, there’s no doubt Burke’s would be at 99.
In a nearly 12-minute interview, Burke proclaimed he wants to be recognized as the No. 1 cornerback in the country this season, be the first corner taken in the 2025 NFL draft and win the Jim Thorpe award, which is given to the best defensive back in college football.
Oh, and Burke declared the 2024 season “natty or bust.” So you know, no pressure.
“Diamonds are built under pressure,” Burke said Thursday. “We’re not worried about a thing. We trust in our technique, ourselves, our team and our coaches. … No excuses man, we’ve got to win it all. We’ve been trying to preach that every single day.”
A three-year starter at OSU, Burke had already made his mind up about coming back to Columbus before the Cotton Bowl in December, but officially announced his decision on Jan. 10. With the exception of Mike Hall, Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers, all of Ohio State’s defensive starters with remaining draft eligibility followed suit.
“It’s great to have everyone back,” Burke said. “That was just timing and putting everything together. Continuing to chase that one percent, help each other out and hold each other accountable, continuing to do what we do at a high level.”
For all the negative headlines NIL has generated nationwide in its three years of existence, Burke is likely the type of player the Buckeyes wouldn’t have been able to keep before it was legalized.
While many factors contributed to the return of the 6-foot-1, 193-pound cornerback to OSU, he admitted Thursday that NIL was part of his decision to stay.
“I feel like this was the best decision for me to continue to develop into an elite cornerback,” Burke said. “There’s really no rush for me to go to the league, we’ve got NIL now. So, we’re not worried about too many things. NIL was part of it.”
It wasn’t the only factor, though.
“The other part was coming back with all my brothers and actually winning the Big Ten and a natty for the state of Ohio,” Burke said. “… I had a first- or second-round grade, but I had no gold pants, no Big Ten title, no natty. So just being able to come back with my brothers and doing it for the state of Ohio. I’m trying to finish the job this year, that’s the plan.”
Burke started 11 games for the Buckeyes in his junior season, recording 24 total tackles, three tackles for loss, nine pass deflections, an interception and a forced fumble en route to earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. Still, Burke knows he can find ways to take his game to the next level.
“Being a consistent tackler, better in run support, upping my press game, there’s always areas you can get better at and I’m trying to do that,” Burke said.
“No excuses man, we’ve got to win it all. We’ve been trying to preach that every single day.”– Denzel Burke on his expectations for 2024
Burke’s fellow cornerback, Jordan Hancock, echoes his teammate’s sentiments and isn’t shying away from setting high expectations for the Buckeyes’ cornerbacks in 2024.
“We’ve got to make more plays in the back end,” Hancock said. “I feel like I can get more interceptions, more forced fumbles. Ball disruptions and making more turnovers, that’s our goal for this year.”
