On Sunday, four-star Class of 2021 cornerback Denzel Burke (Scottsdale, AZ) announced a Top 10 list, which featured Colorado.
Buffs' CBs coach Demetrice Martin offered Burke in late March and their relationship appears to go back further than that.
Burke was offered by Martin back in the early summer of 2019, when the latter was still on staff with the Arizona Wildcats. Known as one of U of A's top recruiting coaches, Martin had Burke in the crosshairs long ago.
Now, Burke, who is 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds, is seeing his recruitment blossom, as Rivals ranks him as the No. 9 cornerback in the nation as well as the No. 2 overall prospect in the state of Arizona for the 2021 class.
Burke in total has accrued almost 25 offers, with eight Pac-12 schools after him. Auburn, LSU, Nebraska, Ohio State, Texas and Tennessee are other notable schools who have issued offers.
On March 22, Martin extended him an offer from the Buffaloes. Now, just over two weeks later, Burke includes CU in his Top 10, which also features Oregon, UW, Arizona State and Southern Cal, among others.
In addition to Martin, Colorado OLBs coach Brian Michalowski, who is tasked with recruiting the state of Arizona under Karl Dorrell, is also working to help court Burke.
Michalowski, of course, was the driving force behind Colorado landing top Arizona prospect Jason Harris in the 2020 class. The former additionally coached at Arizona State in 2011 and 2012, is an ASU alum and went to high school (Notre Dame Prep) in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Needless to say, Martin and Michalowski teaming up to recruit the state of Arizona gives Colorado a potent presence there. The two also are working together Benjamin Morrison, a Class of 2022 DB from Phoenix.
The Buffaloes certainly have some big-name competition to land Burke, including a good handful of Pac-12 competition, yet Martin appears have had a relationship with Burke coming into his new gig at Colorado — something he's putting to good use currently for Colorado.
The Buffs are the most recent team to have offered Burke who appear within his Top 10.
Since Martin became a part of Dorrell's coaching staff, he's thus far gone after an impressive list of recruits, including many four-star guys.
Ishmael Ibraheem out of Dallas, TX, Philip Riley from Valrico, FL, Ceyair Wright from Los Angeles, CA — all are four-star DB prospects that Martin has issued offers to in the last couple weeks.
In the case of Burke, Martin clearly seems to be working to transfer the relationship he built with him at Arizona over to Colorado, with Michalowski playing a key role, as well.
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