From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Memphis OT Travis Burke.
No. 78 Travis Burke/OT Memphis 6086/325 (Fifth-year Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Travis Burke 6086/325 10 1/8″ 34 1/4″ 83 1/8″
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
5.17 1.79 N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
8’11” 27″ 24
The Good
– Great size for the edge with massive wingspan
– Carries his weight proportionally well
– Adequate burst to execute reach blocks and set points in pass protection
– Functional lateral agility to survive in space
– Initiates contact early with his wingspan
– Impressive latch strength due to hand size and grip
– Good anchor strength when dealing with static bull rushes
– Powerful run blocker with flexible hips and ankles
– Persistent leg drive after engaging his matchup
– Effective at sealing the edge on perimeter runs
– Strong down blocker
– Plays with a finishing mentality that runs through the whistle
– Strong torque that can forcibly twist opponents out of their assigned gaps
– Great backside effort on RPO’s that seals defenders from crashing
– Methodical when targeting defenders in space and the second-level
– Uses his wingspan to wall off linebackers rather than lunging out of control
The Bad
– Not a fluid mover in pass protection
– Lethargic get-off out of his stance
– Unable to consistently get deep enough on his initial kick slide
– Over-sets laterally to slower initial movement
– Vulnerable to inside moves due to overcompensation to set the edge
– Struggles to deal with sophisticated speed-to-power conversions
– Prone to rise upright out of his stance, exposing his chest plate
– Heavy feet, which can lead to struggles resetting when caught off-balance
– Slow to diagnose and pass off late-developing stunts
– Scheme dependent on gap, power, or duo schemes
– Penatly-prone
Stats
– 2025 stats: 3 sacks allowed, 2 hits allowed, 8 hurries allowed, 6 penalties committed, 11 games played
– Career stats: 16 sacks allowed, 10 hits allowed, 52 hurries allowed, 30 penalties committed, 47 games played
– FIU Career stats: 9 sacks allowed, 4 hits allowed, 21 hurries allowed, 13 penalties committed, 22 games played
– Gardner-Webb Career stats: 4 sacks allowed, 4 hits allowed, 23 hurries allowed, 11 penalties committed, 14 games played
– 2 sacks allowed and 10 pressures allowed on True Pass Sets per PFF (2025)
– 81.5 PFF pass blocking grade (2025)
– 84.2 PFF run blocking grade (2025)
– 98 percent pass blocking efficiency (2025)
Injury History
– Suffered a right foot/ankle injury against East Carolina that forced him to miss the final three games of the season (2025)
Background
– Started his first two seasons at Gardner-Webb before spending his next two at FIU and playing his final season at Memphis
– Three-star recruit out of South Broward High School after starring at tackle, defensive end, and long snapper
– Earned Class 7A All-State Honors as a senior
– Grew nearly ten inches between freshman and senior seasons
– Added over 20 pounds of muscle between junior and senior seasons
– Varsity pitcher and first baseman for the baseball team
– Pitched a 2.19 ERA and struck out 19 batters in about 16 innings pitched
– Recorded opposing batting average of .250
– First-team All-AAC (2025)
– Credits his father, who was his offensive line coach in high school, for his physical transformation
– Transferred to FIU to be closer to home
– Visualizes leverage and angles while watching film
– Described as having a “Monday through Sunday” mentality
Tape Breakdown
Burke is a gargantuan human who has gained steam in draft circles thanks to his impressive performances on the offseason circuit. While his athleticism isn’t stellar, it’s functional and more than serviceable at his size. He separates himself from his measurables. At nearly 6’9” with a wingspan over 83 inches, he can erase edge defenders from the play with his sheer length.
He’s not a gentle giant, either. His entire game is built around his size and the power it generates. He plays with a relentless, aggressive mentality. More often than not, he’s finishing the play after the whistle and driving his man into the ground.
Pass protection is where he’ll need the most refinement at the next level. His current play style is built around maximizing his size and length. When he lands his initial punch, he uses his 10-inch hands to latch onto the defender’s breastplate and dictate the engagement throughout the rep.
The issues start as he comes out of his stance. Because of his massive frame, he comes out of his set a bit heavy and lacks the lateral suddenness to gain sufficient depth on his initial kick slide. Without that depth, he doesn’t have the foot speed to consistently prevent edge rushers from running the arc on him.
To compensate against faster rushers, he’ll overextend and lunge, leading to whiffs and neutralizing his natural leverage advantage.
His success rate skyrockets against more powerful rush attempts. Despite his size, he has the hip and ankle flexibility to sink his lower half and sit down on power. His anchor strength is highly impressive, and he’s adept at stymying straightforward, linear bull rushes.
While he does have issues in pass protection, most stem from advanced rush plans that exploit his lumbering, heavy movements.
His run blocking is much stronger, but it also reveals his scheme dependence. While he isn’t a statue and shows enough mobility to stretch blocks to the perimeter and execute reach blocks, he’s at his best working vertically and using his size and power to overwhelm defenders.
Once he’s fully engaged, his lower-body drive is relentless and persistent. He pairs that constant leg churn with impressive torque, allowing him to forcibly twist, uproot, and displace defenders from their run fits.
Conclusion
After he gained steam during offseason workouts, I was eager to dive into Burke’s tape. What showed up was a functional but not great athlete who leans heavily on his overwhelming size to dominate at his level of competition. His mindset is where you want it to be — nasty and tenacious — but his technique remains raw.
In pass protection, he’s heavily dependent on landing his initial punch to stall the defender’s first move. If that punch doesn’t land cleanly or the rusher is able to win leverage around the arc, he struggles to recover. His footwork simply isn’t agile enough right now to consistently handle pure speed off the edge.
Run blocking is where he shines. He’s a true mauler, and his rare size allows him to wash defenders out and open large lanes on the right side. When he wins inside leverage on a defender’s breastplate, he controls the entire rep. In gap and power schemes, he projects as a plus run blocker who could function as a spot starter early in his career.
A realistic comparison for Burke’s style of play is Dennis Kelly. Both are massive presences on the edge who largely rely on their frames to do the heavy lifting. Kelly improved his ability to sustain blocks in the league, an area where Burke still struggles. While Burke generates real pop on contact, he can falter when forced to reset his feet. Even so, his sheer size and power make him an intriguing developmental tackle with legitimate upside.
NFL Draft Projection: Mid-Late Day Three
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 6.8 (Pure Backup)
Grade Range: 6.3 – 7.2
Games Watched: @ Troy (2025), vs. Arkansas (2025), @ Florida Atlantic (2025), @UAB (2025), vs. USF (2025), vs. Tulane (2025)
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