Oregon Ducks’ edge rusher Jordan Burch gave fans a late Christmas present on Saturday, with the news coming out that he would return to Eugene for the 2024 season.
There was a lot of speculation as to whether or not Burch would return for head off to the NFL to test the draft waters, and a wordless Instagram post featuring pictures of Burch smiling alongside head coach Dan Lanning led to speculation. The veteran EDGE cleared things up, though, and has since made it known that he wants to help lead the team into its Big Ten era.
Burch had a great 2023 season with the Ducks, notching 33 tackles, 7.5 for loss and three sacks after coming over from South Carolina as a transfer.
When he came out of Columbia, SC, Burch was a consensus five-star recruit and the highest recruit to commit to the Gamecocks since Jadaveon Clowney. Burch didn’t disappoint as he came into his own in his sophomore season at South Carolina, finishing his first year as a full-time starter with 60 tackles (32 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
In the 2024 NFL Draft, Burch was expected to be a mid-round draft selection with high upside based on his picturesque frame for a pass-rusher, standing at 6-foot-6, 270 pounds. Based on his return, it’s pretty clear that he believes one more year at the collegiate level working under Dan Lanning could help boost his draft stock going forward.
With the loss of Brandon Dorlus this offseason, getting Burch back on the defensive line is a massive win for the Ducks, who had a trio of freshmen edge rushers that came on in 2023 and should only get better going forward.
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