Gabe Burkle TE Penn State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #84 ROLE: Inline Multi-Role TE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.73 seconds (62%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #84 | |
| ROLE: Inline Multi-Role TE | |
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.73 seconds (62%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
69.2 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 72.6 | |
| Hands: |
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72% |
| Short Receiving: |
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64% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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73% |
| Deep Threat: |
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56% |
| Blocking: |
|
48% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#737
Position rank:
#27 (TE)
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| College Games: 43 College Snaps: 1663 | ||
ESPN RATING: 74/100
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247 RATING: 87/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.5 (90%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gavin Bartholomew - Pittsburgh |
|
81% |
| Davis Allen - Clemson |
|
80% |
| Matt Bushman - BYU |
|
80% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Gabe Burkle played at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where a knee injury ended his junior season after four games. He came back to catch 23 passes for 324 yards as a senior and signed with Iowa State as a three-star recruit.Burkle redshirted in 2022 and caught two passes in 2023. He started eight games in 2024 and made 26 catches for 296 yards, then started seven more in 2025 with 26 catches for 302 yards, catching a pass in 16 straight games. An injury against TCU ended that season, and he had surgery on 19 November 2025. He left Iowa State with 16 starts and 54 career catches.
Burkle chose Penn State on 4 January 2026 to finish his career. A knee problem kept him out of the opener against Marshall, but he has been active for every game since, mostly as a blocker behind the Nittany Lions' top two tight ends. He has six catches for 65 yards on 10 targets.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Experienced in-line blocker with 16 career starts at Iowa State
- Caught a pass in 16 straight games during his Iowa State career
- Reliable hands, with no drops on 10 targets this season
- Moves well for a blocking tight end, testing as a good runner
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Missed the 2026 opener against Marshall with a knee problem
- Season-ending surgery after an injury against TCU in 2025
- Only six catches this season in a rotational role
- Flagged for a penalty in the September game against Wisconsin
- Knee injury also ended his junior season in high school
Scouting Report: Summary
Burkle is a steady, experienced tight end who has settled into a blocking role at Penn State. He was a reliable target at Iowa State, catching a pass in 16 straight games, and he has not dropped a pass this season.However, his injury history is long, from a high school knee injury to surgery in 2025 and a knee issue that sidelined him for the Marshall game. His receiving role is small, with six catches in a rotation.
Overall, Burkle is a dependable but limited tight end. He projects as a priority free agent whose medical reports will decide his chances.
How other scouting services rate Gabe Burkle (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
380.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
21.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.