Cedar Rapids, Iowa, End Gabe Burkle Talks Michigan State
After receiving his first offer from Iowa State last month, Cedar Rapids (IA) Prairie 2022 tight end Gabe Burkle picked up his first Big Ten offer from Michigan State on Friday.
Burkle spoke with Spartan Nation about his offer and said that he found out about his offer from Michigan State tight ends coach Ted Gilmore and said he was excited to hear the news.
After a great phone call with coach Gilmore I’m excited to announce that I have received and offer to go play football at Michigan State University! Go Spartans! @Coach_TGilmore @MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/MV26AbXLWi
— Gabe Burkle (@GabeBurkle) May 8, 2020
“It was pretty surreal, I woke up to a phone call from my head football coach, and he said I was to call Coach Gilmore so I called him and he informed me that they were offering me over the phone. I was very grateful and excited when he told me that.”
While his conversation with Gilmore was relatively short, Burkle said that he came away with an excellent first impression from their discussion.
“Our conversation was pretty short and to the point due to the NCAA rules, but he was nice, and he has a lot of experience under his belt, which I thought was cool.”
A 6-foot-7, 230-pound tight end that has proven to be a mismatch for opposing defenses in the passing game because of his size, Burkle is also a sturdy and willing blocker in the run game, making him a well-rounded tight end prospect with plenty of upsides.
Burkle described his blocking style as physical and also noted that he’s able to make plays in the open field in the passing game as well.
“I would describe myself as a physical blocker who can move in open space and catch the ball.”
While he currently holds two offers, Burkle will likely see his recruitment continue to rise in the coming months and will likely field several more Division 1 offers in the process.
When it comes to Michigan State, Burkle told Spartan Nation that the history of the program is appealing to him and that he plans to visit East Lansing when on-campus recruiting restrictions are lifted.
“Michigan State obviously has a great tradition regarding football, and I’m extremely excited about the new coaching staff. My goals in football are to compete for championships, and this program reflects those goals. I definitely plan to take a visit once everything opens back up.”
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