Commit Impact: What Landing Ethan Burke Means For Michigan

Michigan scored a key commitment when four-star Austin (Texas) Westlake edge rusher Ethan Burke committed to Michigan on Tuesday morning.

The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder picked the Wolverines over offers from Baylor, Kansas State, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Utah and others.

Burke is the 19th member of Michigan’s 2022 recruiting class.

1. Michigan is on a roll on the recruiting trail following a win over Ohio State in The Game. The Wolverines landed 2023 On300 prospect Joel Starlings on Sunday night and turned right around and earned a pledge from Burke on Tuesday morning. Michigan may not be done, though. On300 defensive back Zeke Berry is set to decide on Friday, and it appears he’ll keep the momentum going.

2. Like fellow Michigan commit Jimmy Rolder, Burke came out of nowhere this fall. He committed to Maryland for lacrosse and didn’t really start gaining traction as a football recruit until a few weeks ago. The Michigan staff did a fantastic job of identifying him and making a push. As Courtney Morgan has said, Michigan isn’t just going to recruit stars. They feel like they can evaluate as well as any staff in the country.

3. With that said, Burke recently earned a four-star rating from On3 and is ranked just outside the On300. Burke is an extremely intriguing prospect at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds and has the frame to add plenty of weight and strength. Once he gets a year or two under strength coach Ben Herbert, Burke has the potential to be a monster. His ceiling is obviously very high.

4. While Burke is an upside prospect, he’s not as raw as you would think. Burke plays for Texas powerhouse Austin Westlake, which is the favorite to win a state title in the highest classification. Westlake plays against high-end competition and constantly makes deep runs in the playoffs. On top of that, Westlake has produced a number of NFL players, including Drew Brees. Led by legendary coach Todd Dodge, Westlake is a stellar program. Burke already plays in a college-like atmosphere.

5. I find it interesting that Michigan has dipped into the Lone Star State in back-to-back cycles and pulled two late risers in Burke and Ike Iwunnah. With Texas looking terrible and Texas A&M having such a tough road in the SEC, the opportunity is there for Michigan to get more and more recruits out of such a talent-rich state. There is plenty of talent to go around. The Wolverines just need to make a concerted effort as more and more prospects are willing to leave.

6. And that brings me to my next point. Michigan is doing its best to create a footprint in Texas next cycle. The Wolverines hosted a pair of talented 2023 Texas edge rushers this weekend in Anthony James and Trey Wilson. Both are very high on the program and have ties. James is originally from Flint, while Wilson is a former teammate of Iwunnah. Michigan quietly appears to have the lead for On300 defensive back Braxton Myers and is in play for five-star level recruits in Markis Deal and Dalton Brooks.

7. Michigan now has three edge rushers in this class in Burke, Kevonte Henry and Micah Pollard. Each of the three is a little different. Burke reminds me of former second-round draft pick Margus Hunt, who was an ex-track and field star turned star defensive end at SMU. Hunt was ginormous at 6-foot-8 and developed into a big-time draft prospect. Henry needs to add weight, but perhaps no prospect in the class has a higher ceiling. His speed off the edge is incredible, and he plays with a dog mentality. Pollard offers versatility as he can add weight and play more of a traditional linebacker role.

8. So what’s left in 2022? The Wolverines hold 19 commitments with just a couple of weeks to go before signing day. Michigan is looking to take around 24 this cycle, which means five spots are left (that can change as numbers often work themselves out). Michigan would like to add two or even three more in the secondary with the right mix of guys. Adding another wide receiver and an offensive tackle is key. From there, Michigan could take a second running back, second quarterback, another defensive lineman or just best available.

9. Here are the commits by position:

1 – Quarterback

1 – Running Back

1 – Wide Receiver

2 – Tight End

2 – Offensive Line

2 – Defensive Line

3 – Edge

3 – Linebacker

3 – Cornerback

1- Safety

10. Here are the commits by state:

1 – Alabama

3 – California

1 – Colorado

1 – Connecticut

2 – Florida

1 – Georgia

1 – Idaho

2- Illinois

1 – Indiana

2 – Michigan

1 – South Carolina

2 – Tennessee

1 – Texas