Texas flips 3-Star Michigan EDGE commit Ethan Burke

The first pretty unanticipated decision that went in favor of head coach Steve Sarkisian and the 2022 Texas football recruiting class on the first day of the Early Signing Period (Dec. 15) came from a former Michigan Wolverines commit. Texas is making a habit now under Sark out of flipping former Michigan commits (looking at you Xavier Worthy).

The Longhorns were able to flip the commitment of a local Westlake High School product and three-star edge rusher Ethan Burke. This is an interesting get for the Longhorns given the depth present along the defensive front already in the 2022 class.

But Texas losing the commitment of four-star Lubbock-Cooper linebacker Kobie McKinzie within the last week likely opened up the spot for a potent and lengthy edge rusher like Burke.

Burke announced on his Twitter timeline on the morning of Dec. 15 that he would be flipping his commitment from the Wolverines to the Longhorns. This was not one of the anticipated decisions to watch for the Longhorns on the first signing day, but it is a welcome one without a doubt.

Texas football gets an unexpected flip in 3-Star Michigan commit and EDGE Ethan Burke

It was only back on Dec. 1 that Burke originally gave his commitment to head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines. The lengthy 6-foot-7 and 225-pound edge rusher would be one of the first flips on the first signing day, though.

Burke was also actually an original commit to the Maryland Terrapins out of the Big Ten. He plays lacrosse at Westlake High School and is a really good athlete. When he flipped his commitment from Maryland to Michigan earlier this month, it was with the idea in mind of playing both lacrosse and football there.

It looks like Burke will be giving up the path of playing Division I college lacrosse by flipping from Michigan to Texas, though.

Moreover, Texas got in on this recruitment pretty late as Burke received his scholarship offer from the Longhorns on Dec. 14, less than 24 hours before the start of the first signing day.

It was a big senior high school football season at Westlake that likely put Burke on Texas’ radar. With Texas looking to bring in more athleticism and length along the defensive front, it made sense that they would go out and try to get a local edge rusher like Burke.

Burke is an edge rusher with an 83-inch wingspan reportedly, and he’s got great quickness and get-off from the line of scrimmage. He is likely going to play as a true edge rusher for the Longhorns, and we’ll see him put on some weight upon his arrival on the Forty Acres.

His length allows him to work around opposing blockers pretty quickly and wrap around the ball carrier/quarterback in the backfield. Burke is a versatile athlete that is agile for his size, and his length will continue to play to his advantage with the Longhorns.

All in all, Texas has a huge haul along the defensive front now in the 2022 class. Texas is obviously stacked among their defensive linemen, and there are now three potent edge rushers between Burke and four stars Justice Finkley and Derrick Brown Jr. Granted, Finkley probably won’t be playing as an edge rusher for Texas.

After landing two commitments on the morning of Dec. 15, Texas is now above two-dozen in the 2022 class. Texas landed three-star Arlington-Seguin athlete Xavion Brice and Burke to start off the morning of the first signing day.