Denzel Burke is returning to Arizona.
The Arizona Cardinals selected Burke with the No. 174 overall pick in the fifth round on Saturday. The former Ohio State cornerback, who grew up in Phoenix, was the third defensive back and 13th overall Buckeye to come off the board in the 2025 NFL draft.
Burke is the fourth Buckeye drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in three years, joining 2023 first-round pick Paris Johnson Jr., 2024 first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. and 2025 fourth-round pick Cody Simon. The Cardinals also hired former Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye as their offensive line coach this offseason.
ANOTHER ONE! O-H pic.twitter.com/qs6d5Fl9xP
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 26, 2025
Burke joins Lathan Ransom (fourth round, Carolina Panthers) and Jordan Hancock (fifth round, Buffalo Bills) as Ohio State DBs selected in this year’s draft. It’s the first time Ohio State has had three defensive backs selected in the same NFL draft Jeff Okudah, Damon Arnette and Jordan Fuller were all drafted in 2020.
Across four seasons and 51 appearances at Ohio State, Burke collected 143 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two interceptions (including one pick-six), 28 pass breakups and one forced fumble. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2023 and a third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021 and 2024.
His Ohio State career, while decorated, was a roller-coaster ride. A Game 1 starter as a freshman, Burke suffered a sophomore slump before bouncing back and becoming one of the nation’s best cornerbacks as a junior and senior.
“I just matured a lot, continued to develop my game and I feel like I evolved at another level,” Burke said at the NFL Combine. “I’ve got a lot more to improve, a lot more to keep working on.”
Burke felt like Ohio State’s national championship game win over Notre Dame, the 2024 Nebraska game and the 2023 Maryland game were the performances where he looked the best on tape during his career. It’s no secret which performance was his worst, as he allowed seven catches for over 150 yards in Ohio State’s 2024 loss to Oregon. That performance may have contributed to his slide down the draft board, but he doesn’t think that game should define him.
“That game was an anomaly,” Burke said. “It just wasn’t my day. That wasn’t who I am.”
Who is Burke?
Someone who overcame and pushed through hard times, something all cornerbacks must learn to do in the NFL. Burke knows experiences like the Oregon loss have shaped him. He plans to leverage that and several other traits to help him stand out at the next level.
“I feel like I can play all areas of the game,” Burke said. “I can play inside. I can play outside. I can play off. I can fit in any type of scheme. I’m physical, provide great run support, and I watch a lot of film.”
