Ranking the Contenders: Denzel Burke
Denzel Burke has nearly 25 offers, but last week the four-star cornerback narrowed his list to five schools with Colorado, USC, Oregon, Ohio State and Washington making his final list.
The Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro standout is still considering more trips since he’s only seen Oregon and Washington so far. Burke has been to Los Angeles numerous times before, but hasn’t gotten the opportunity to tour USC. He’s also not seen Ohio State or Colorado.
Below, we rank the contenders in Burke’s recruitment, although the four-star defensive back is still wide open to all five programs and all of them have a shot as things continue to progress toward his senior season.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
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1. OREGON
The Ducks have already gone to the state of Arizona for three of their prime commitments so far in this recruiting class: four-star OL Jonah Miller, four-star quarterback Ty Thompson and four-star OL Bram Walden, who happens to be Burke’s teammate at powerhouse Saguaro. That could play a big role as Burke works through his favorites. He’s already been to Oregon, he likes the environment there and he has a teammate going to play for the Ducks. Coach Mario Cristobal and his staff have made Burke a top priority and that could be a major factor, too, especially if Burke decides to commit before taking his full round of visits.
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2. USC
USC remains in a strong spot for Burke, even though he hasn’t visited. A few big factors are in play here. The four-star has been to Los Angeles numerous times and he loves the environment. Playing at USC is a big deal to a lot of kids with that level of exposure and media attention, and that could be an added bonus. Maybe most importantly, Burke has developed an excellent relationship with position coach Donte Williams, who has proven to be one of the best recruiters in the West. If a visit to USC happens, the Trojans could go even higher.
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3. WASHINGTON
Burke has taken a visit to Washington, he is being heavily recruited by defensive back coach Will Harris and the Huskies have a great track record, especially in recent years of developing defensive backs for the NFL. Whether it’s Budda Baker or Kevin King or Sidney Jones, Washington has done a great job coaching up defensive backs, and that should not stop with Jimmy Lake as head coach. Burke has a lot of interest in the Huskies and is in striking distance for his commitment.
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4. OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes are definitely coming strong after Burke, but a visit to Columbus is going to be important maybe for both sides here. For Burke, it's about seeing what Ohio State is all about and getting a chance to just fully appreciate just how important football is in Columbus. And then for the Buckeyes to really gauge just how serious the four-star is about traveling all the way across the country to play his college football. Burke and four-star CB Jaylin Davies from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei are two top West targets that Ohio State would love to have on campus as soon as possible.
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5. COLORADO
Colorado is a little bit of a dark horse in the race for Burke’s commitment, but two things could really be playing a factor here: New cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin is a fantastic recruiter and the four-star prospect could get early playing time with the Buffaloes. It’s easy to sell Colorado on a visit to beautiful Boulder as well, so that could be a bonus, but first Burke has to get there. Martin will try to work his magic, but without a visit to campus, it could be tough.