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Towering Offensive Line Brute Gets Second Interview With Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are showing interest in a brutish enforcer for the offensive trenches.
Oct 25, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Tigers offensive lineman Travis Burke (78) gestures toward the South Florida Bulls defense on the line of scrimmage during the second half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Tigers offensive lineman Travis Burke (78) gestures toward the South Florida Bulls defense on the line of scrimmage during the second half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

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The Indianapolis Colts are clearly in the market for offensive line depth after a scheduled Zoom meeting with Memphis Tigers tackle Travis Burke.

This is the second time the team has met with Burke, which proves the Colts could be gearing up to pick him next week.

Burke played three seasons in FBS, starting his career with Florida International in Conference USA for two years. He'd find his way to the Memphis Tigers to conclude his collegiate career.

Burke is absolutely monstrous. Based on his NFL Combine profile, he stands a mountainous 6'9" and weighs 325 pounds. It just so happens he's also a freak athlete, proven by his Relative Athletic Score.

This, of course, is the calling card for what general manager Chris Ballard seeks in draft prospects.

Burke played 11 games for the Tigers in 2025 and put up excellent grades per Pro Football Focus, displaying his versatility as a lineman.

The Tigers' enforcer in the trenches posted an offensive grade of 84.5, a run-blocking grade of 84.2, and a pass-blocking grade of 81.5.

Burke also allowed three sacks on 429 pass-blocking snaps. This equates to one sack every 143 passing snaps played, which is a positive metric.

The Colts are heading into the NFL draft next week with big needs at defensive end, linebacker, wide receiver, and potentially safety.

However, if we take a look at the depth tackles behind Bernhard Raimann and Jalen Travis, it could use a boost from a player like Memphis' Travis.

Blake Freeland, Jack Wilson, Luke Tenuta, and Bayron Matos occupy the depth offensive tackle positions.

Freeland has been underwhelming when on the field in a relief role, and is also coming off a brutal leg fracture in the preseason that took away his 2025 campaign.

Tenuta filled in nicely in very limited action while filling in for Raimann. However, he left a lot to be desired as a run blocker in an offense that needs to establish the ground attack.

As for Wilson and Matos, they've never played meaningful snaps and can't be entrusted as insurance policies on the edges of the offensive line.

Travis Burke speaks to the media at the NFL Combine.
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Memphis offensive lineman Travis Burke (OL09) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Burke is projected as a Day 3 pick, which is perfect for Indianapolis. Given Ballard's past draft trends, it's highly likely that he trades back, possibly twice, to recoup more than seven picks.

Seeing how Raimann and former Colts tackle Braden Smith sustained injuries, it's critical to have reliable backups in place for offensive line coach Tony Sparano, Jr. to turn to when it matters most.

Burke is perfect for this role, and adding him would mean that he can compete with the likes of Freeland and Tenuta to develop, and possibly become a reliable swing tackle.

Anything can happen on draft day, especially with a team like the Colts, who need to fill several different roster holes.

We'll see if the interest from Indianapolis in Burke transitions into a selection next week when the time comes.

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Drake Wally
DRAKE WALLY

Drake Wally is a co-deputy editor of Indianapolis Colts on SI. His works have also appeared on Bleacher Report, MSN, Yahoo, and SBNation. He also co-hosts the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast.

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