[lawrence-newsletter]Pro Football Focus, a football data company that specializes in analytics, recently named a Wisconsin Badger as the best returning Big Ten defender at covering the pass. That Badger is safety Eric Burrell, who is coming off his best season in Madison as a junior. Burrell is sure to be a leader in 2020 on the defensive side of the ball in his senior season.
The highest coverage grade among returning Big Ten defenders:
Wisconsin safety Eric Burrell – 88.9 pic.twitter.com/mR5SVqAOpk
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 23, 2020
This past season, the Severn, Maryland native set career-highs in nearly every statistical category, including total tackles, solo tackles, interceptions, and passes defended (PD). Burrell finished the year with 55 total tackles, a pair of sacks, three interceptions, and six passes defended. He finished with a PFF coverage grade of 88.9.
Burrell came into the year behind Scott Nelson on the depth chart, but after Nelson went out of the season-opener against USF with a leg injury that would ultimately hold him out the entire year, Burrell shined as the weekly starter. Wisconsin will have an embarrassment of riches next season at the safety position with Burrell, Nelson, and redshirt-sophomore Reggie Pearson all returning.