Burkle talks early recruiting interest

Cedar Rapids Prairie tight end Gabe Burkle has seen his recruiting stock go to another level over the spring and is an athlete that the Hawkeye coaches continue to follow.

“I was invited to game day visits last football season," said Burkle. "Both trips were great, and I thought the atmosphere was amazing. The coaches were fun to talk to and the overall experience was great.”

Burkle has heavy praise for what the University of Iowa football has accomplished.

“They are a program that puts a lot of emphasis on the tight end position and traditionally puts a lot of players in the NFL," Burkle said. "I feel like they are a team that is always competing for championships and high caliber bowl games.”

The success of their tight ends is something that Burkle could factor into his eventual final decision.

“It matters, but it’s only one of several other factors such as schooling and style of play," he said. "The biggest factor to me is just finding a school that I feel is the right fit.”

Burkle likes what he has seen with the coaching staff at Iowa.

“Every coach I’ve met there has all been very professional and approachable," said Burkle. "In my brief dealings with them, I could tell that they have a winning mindset and care about the athlete.”

A final decision is something that Burkle is remaining patient with at this point.

“In an ideal situation, it would be nice to commit before my senior season, but I’ll see.”

Burkle, who holds offers from Michigan State and Iowa State, has a wide range of colleges interested in his skill set.

“As of where I am at in the recruiting process, I have a lot of schools on my radar," Burkle said. "Some of those schools include Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Kansas State.”

The pandemic has not slowed down Burkle as he has worked hard to improve overall.

“I have been weight training four times a week at HD Elite, doing skill training with Marvin McNutt which includes route running one on one competition drills, and foot work drills, speed training at HD Elite 2 times a week, and basketball workouts two times a week with former head coach at Solon, Jason Pershing.”

Burkle mentioned the two areas of his game he has made the biggest strides in during the off-season.

“I feel like I have most improved my footwork and route running abilities.”