Why Cardinals Double-Dipped with Ohio State DB

Why did the Cardinals go back to the well after taking Will Johnson in round two?

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke (10) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The message from the Arizona Cardinals was quite clear throughout the course of the 2025 NFL Draft. GM Monti Ossenfort wanted defensive reinforcements, and he especially wanted defensive backs. With their fifth-round pick, the Cardinals selected CB Denzel Burke out of Ohio State.

Burke was the second of back-to-back Ohio State picks, as LB Cody Simon was Arizona's selection in the fourth round. Buckeyes have done well for the Cardinals, especially in the draft, and it's clear that Ossenfort is trying to add as much depth as possible to the secondary.

The pick might be a bit puzzling at first, considering the Cardinals took a pair of CBs in 2024, and added star CB Will Johnson in the second round — who should get plenty of playing time if healthy.

But Burke has a different skillset than Johnson, and could be a sleeper to contribute to Arizona's rising young group of DBs in 2025.

Burke is an Arizona native, playing his high school football at both Brophy Prep and Saguaro Scottsdale (the very same school that produced WR Christian Kirk).

But Burke is more than just a hometown story. He's a zone coverage specialist. In that sense, he's similar to Johnson, but has more of an open-space philosophy. In fact, there's a chance he might get looks at safety, depending on the package.

He posted an 81.0 zone coverage grade — a defensive scheme Jonathan Gannon and Nick Rallis love to emphasize. He's excellent at baiting opposing QBs into ill-advised throws, and can play solid run defense for a DB. He picked off just two passes in his senior season at Ohio State, but racked up 48 tackles in a position that de-emphasizes tackling.

Burke is good in coverage, smooth enough in transition, and led college football with 21 coverage stops. His tackling could still use some work, but that's something Gannon and Rallis are good at coaching up, and he's got a killer mindset, with good instincts in the open field — both with regard to being in position to make tackles, as well as making a play on the ball.

It's unknown whether there will be much avenue for Burke to receive significant playing time, but Arizona saw much improvement from some of their younger DBs in 2024, and there's no reason to believe Burke can't develop within this system into an every-Sunday contributor.

Full list of each Cardinals draft pick and move