The Baltimore Ravens might have found a diamond in the rough in Ethan Burke. He’s turning up the intensity when the pressure is at its highest, hitting a different gear over the past two weeks.
This comes at the perfect time with roster cutdown day closing in. Burke may be an undrafted rookie, but he has a real chance to make the 53-man roster. He’s pushing Adisa Isaac to the limit for what could be the fifth and final outside linebacker spot.
It might have gotten to the point where Burke is the frontrunner in that battle, too. He was quite possibly the best player on the field in Baltimore’s Week 2 preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings, making the opposing quarterback uncomfortable in every way possible. In Wednesday's joint practice with the Washington Commanders, he made a difference in a different way: special teams.
Ethan Burke’s special teams prowess could force him onto Baltimore Ravens’ roster
Ethan Burke’s superpower isn’t his pass-rush or run defense. It’s his special teams ability. It always has been.
It looks like that’s translating to the NFL. In Wednesday’s action versus Washington, he completely wrecked things on kickoff coverage. According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Burke put three Commanders players on the ground on one play.
There’s talent, and then there’s having an innate ability to change the game. Burke has that on special teams. It goes back to his time at Texas, where he was a constant X-factor when it was time for the specialists to take the field.
26.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks is solid production over four collegiate seasons for Burke. You know what’s even better, though? A 90.6 special teams grade, per Pro Football Focus.
Burke really does it all in that facet. He appeared on every special teams unit in college, making an impact in all ways imaginable. His finest hours came on the field goal block team, where he blocked three field goals.
That effort and ability entwined in a 6-foot-6 frame make the Texas product a dangerous threat.
This is exactly where Burke needs to thrive. Getting to the quarterback in training camp and preseason games is cool, but realistically, those opportunities won’t be there in the regular season. There will be plenty of reps on special teams, though.
And by the looks of it, Burke may be more than a contributor there. He could be an ace.
For a team like the Ravens, they’ve always prioritized special teams. That might change a little bit now that Jesse Minter is calling the shots instead of John Harbaugh, but it should remain a key focus. As long as it does, Burke will have a gigantic opening straight toward the 53-man roster.
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