Pronunciation: den-ZEL
Jersey #: 10 (2024), 29 (2021-23)
Major: Finance (2021-24)
Weight: 193 (2024), 190 (2022-23), 192 (2021)

2024 Media Guide: Denzel is a three-year Varsity O letterwinner who is in his fourth season with the program … has started all 35 games he has played in the past three years and could surpass William White (46 starts between 1984-87) for the school record for starts by a cornerback … currently ranks 11th among Ohio State CBs in starts with Greg Rogan (40 from 1984-86) the only other player besides White with at least 40 starts at the position … has 28 career passes defended (26 pass break-ups and two interceptions) with his 26 career PBUs ranking sixth in Ohio State history … enters the 2024 season in reach of the Ohio State record of 36 PBUs held by Bradley Roby (2011-13) … will be among the Top 10 returning players nationally in 2024 in total passes defended and a strong candidate for All-America honors and the Thorpe Award.

2023: Had a fine junior season in 2023 when he earned second-team All-America honors and first-team all-Big Ten honors by the coaches after recording 10 passes defensed (nine pass break-ups; one interception) and had 24 tackles including three tackles-for-loss … led the 2023 team in both passes defended and PBUs.

2023 Media Guide: Has started all 24 games he has played in the past two years … started 11 times in 2022 and was second on the team with five pass breakups … also contributed 34 tackles and now has 70 career tackles and 17 PBUs.

2022 Media Guide: Had an outstanding true freshman campaign when he started all 13 games, led the team with 13 total passes defensed and recorded 36 total tackles, including 28 solo stops … named a freshman All-American by ESPN, The Athletic and 247Sports … earned third-team all-Big Ten Conference honors … the first Ohio State true freshman to start the season opener on defense since Andy Katzenmoyer in 1996 … his first collegiate interception was a “pick-6” vs Rutgers of 23 yards … made 10 unassisted tackles and 11 total in the win over Purdue … has personal best of three pass break-ups vs. Minnesota and recorded two
vs. both Tulsa and Nebraska.

2021 Media Guide: Denzel was one of 14 from the recruiting class of 2021 to enroll in classes in January … a four-star prospect who is the nation’s No. 8-rated athlete by 247Sports … projects as a defensive back with the Buckeyes.

High School: Played both defensive back and wide receiver in high school … attended Brophy Prep in Phoenix before transferring to Saguaro … the Arizona Republic’s No. 1-ranked game-changing cornerback and athlete … played in one game his senior season before it was cut short due to injury … played seven games as a junior in 2019 and averaged 44.7 receiving yards per game with four touchdowns … added 337 rushing yards on 24 carries and two interceptions … at Brophy Prep, helped the Broncos improve from 1-9 as a freshman to 7-4 as a sophomore when he racked up 50 receptions for 719 yards and averaged 84.2 all-purpose yards per game.

Personal: Is the son of Deya and Zafiro Burke.