NFL Draft
2/6/25
6 min read
Jordan Burch 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Oregon Ducks DL
Height: 6060 (unofficial)
Weight: 295lbs (unofficial)
Year: Redshirt Senior
Pro Comparison: Karl Brooks
Scouting Overview
Oregon Ducks DL Jordan Burch is a fascinating player who offers obvious appeal in the passing game but might be too much of a tweener to command a prominent every-down role in the NFL. Burch is a savvy, polished pass rusher with an impressive arsenal of moves.
He does possess the explosiveness to collapse tackles, which he’ll need to reduce angles. However, his run game resume is modest and is amplified by what appears to only be sufficient length to play the point of attack. If Burch can't further build out his block deconstruction and run game skills, he’ll likely be a valued designated pass rusher and part of a defensive line rotation.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Very good explosiveness and power capability to reduce angles as a pass rusher
- Boasts surprising body control when rushing around the arc to test tackles through the full track
- Has illustrated alignment versatility to play outside or directly overtop of tackles despite his monster size
Negatives
- Leverage and pad-level consistency are a big point of emphasis to focus on, particularly in the run game
- Can get tossed around and loses some of his functional strength and balance when having to flow laterally with the point of attack
- Can easily be regarded as a tweener when considering his frame and lack of appeal on more reduced and inside alignments
Background
Burch is from Columbia, SC, and played high school football for the Hammond School. There, he was a prized defensive tackle recruit and a consensus 5-star prep talent. Burch was named a 2019 USA Today All-American selection and was named a captain for the 2020 Under Armour All-America game. Burch was hotly pursued by programs like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Oregon, Clemson, Michigan, Tennessee, and others before he ultimately committed to play in his home state for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Burch played in eight games during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season in 2020 and another 13 games (1 start) as a redshirt freshman in 2021. He assumed a starting role with the Gamecocks moving forward into 2022, starting all 13 games before entering the transfer portal after the 2022 season. He was the top-ranked EDGE in the portal as a 4-star transfer and landed with the Oregon Ducks.
Burch started 13 of 14 games for the Ducks in 2023, was named Honorable Mention PAC-12, and was then named Third-Team All-Big Ten after the program made the conference switch ahead of 2024.
Tale Of The Tape
Burch is a surprisingly diverse, potent pass rusher for such a big end. He illustrated alignment versatility throughout his two years at Oregon, but the vast majority of his opportunities have come as a 4i or 5-tech playing overtop of offensive tackles. Given his run-defending abilities, it would be favorable to keep him playing closer to the fringes of the core and keep him out of the mauling middle.
As a pass rusher, Burch offers a blend of speed, power, and technique to manipulate opposing tackles. He’s got a good burst for his stature and will pair his rush approach with heavy and diverse hands. He’s capable of winning with a long arm, speed to power, and a bull rush to apply force and has counters off of that style that includes a rip, chop, spin, and lift.
Burch generally showcases variety and good reactive instincts with these counters, avoiding the trap of predetermining moves that won’t work or falling into the same counter repeatedly.
Athletically, Burch is a well-regarded player who was recognized on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks List. The Oregon staff credited him with hitting more than 20.5mph on the GPS player tracking and boasting impressive explosiveness testing. You see these traits in how he plays with power rushing the passer, but his application of gifts is not equal across all opportunities.
As a run defender, Burch can be tested in a number of ways. Linear solo and combo blocks can test his ability to keep his pad level down. If he fails to stay down on his base, he can be bubbled and displaced or otherwise get stuck on blocks. His deconstruction of blocks is less consistent than his pass-rush counters. At times, Burch can struggle with playing at the fringes of his wingspan and is vulnerable to getting outreached by opposing linemen. In these instances, he’ll fight for leverage or gap integrity but can be too easily manipulated or displaced out of position.
Burch is much stronger and more stout in linear situations. When he can play over top of a single opponent, he stands a better chance of maintaining his power posture and creating a neutral stalemate. However, that comes with conditions for the entire front if you need to cover opposing players in his vicinity, and many teams will be unlikely to make such accommodations — instead opting for a rotational role and playing Burch on passing downs exclusively.
There’s an appeal there, however. By playing Burch only on the passing downs, you do get more variety in personnel combinations and where you can line him up without much concern for his interior run design. As a result, he’ll have a wider menu for teams as a designated pass rusher early in his career.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Burch projects best as a base end at the NFL level. This is a potential starter if he can better leverage his pads and hands at the point of attack to be more consistent as a run defender and be more stout with real estate along the line of scrimmage.
He’s a wonderfully diverse pass-rush talent who could win as an end in either odd or even fronts when playing over the top of tackles.
Grade: 75.50/100.00, Third Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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