Travis Burke

The Player

Burke’s path is unique. He was a high school pitcher and first baseman who grew from 5-foot-9 as a freshman to nearly 6-foot-9 by his senior year, which explains why he was overlooked and ended up at Gardner-Webb. From there, he became a five-year player and four-year starter across three stops, finishing at Memphis.

At 6-foot-9 and 325 pounds, with long arms, big hands, and a massive wingspan, he looks the part. He moves well for his size, too—his 5.17-second 40-yard dash demonstrates speed that also shows up in his short-area quickness and ability to set quickly in pass protection.

There’s a lot to like in how he plays. He gets out quickly as a zone run blocker, establishes early positioning, and uses his size, strong hands, and grit to take over. In pass pro, his length and his violent punch can be effective, especially when he lands the punch with leverage. There’s also real tenacity to his game that OL coaches will appreciate.

He gets strong reviews from David Diehl, who coached him at Memphis and speaks highly of his work ethic, growth, and character—traits that carry weight given Diehl’s background.

That said, the limitations are what you’d expect for a player his size. Pad level can be an issue, and the more space he’s in, the less athletic he looks. He’s not a natural bender, and power rushers who play with leverage can get under his pads and drive him back. Re-sinking his hips has been inconsistent, and there are some awareness lapses in pass protection.

The Draft

Burke has collected a ton of frequent flyer miles this spring travelling from NFL city to NFL city for “top 30 visits.” Because of his frame, late growth spurt, and continued improvement, Burke is arguably the most intriguing mid-round offensive line prospect in the 2026 class. It won’t be a surprise if his name is called on night two of the draft.   

The Projection

In terms of the frame and late-blooming qualities, Alejandro Villanueva is a decent comp. But while Burke won’t be ready to push for a starting job in year one, it’s not like he’s some long-term project coming off active duty who was found at a Super Regional combine like Villanueva. Burke’s dad, Matt, is the offensive line coach at South Broward and Travis spent the past year working with Diehl. If Burke continues to work on his pass pro awareness, as well as his lower-body flexibility, he could be a starting tackle in the NFL in 2027.