The Wisconsin Badgers added three-star junior quarterback Myles Burkett to their 2022 recruiting class earlier this month. Here's what Burkett's commitment means for head coach Paul Chryst moving forward.
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At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Myles Burkett’s ability to make plays when the pocket breaks down is likely his biggest strength. The offensive player of the year in the Southeast Conference passed for 1,236 yards and 11 touchdowns in five games last fall.
"Myles has the ability to scramble and run the ball, but also has the ability to just move around in the pocket. With his awareness and skills in there, he eliminates a lot of the negative plays that you get into with a quarterback that doesn't have his skillset," Franklin offensive coordinator Drew Ambrose told BadgerBlitz.com. "We haven't given up many sacks since Myles has been our quarterback, and a part of that is because we have a great offensive line. But Myles is very good at avoiding pressure and moving around in the pocket.
"He's able to throw off platform and do all those things that you see all the big-time guys do. He can adjust his arm angle and get the ball out. He has all those skills that a lot of guys just can't do. And for Myles, it just comes very naturally. He studies Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers and watches how their feet are moving and looking at their arm slot, all that stuff. Just that ability to avoid those negative plays is a huge, huge positive for any offense. When you have some of those bigger, slower guys who are just pocket passers, they can't really provide that."
But don't let the dual-threat label, something Gary Andersen prioritized during his short stint in Madison, fool you. Burkett can make plays with his arm and has the ability to thrive in a pro-style system. Looking at his junior tape, Burkett has crisp footwork, throws an accurate and catchable ball, and also goes through his reads rather than focusing on just one option after the snap. He may not have the arm strength of Deacon Hill, who signed with the Badgers in the 2021 class, but Burkett can get the ball down field accurately.
"I think he can, absolutely. I've seen him throw so much in person, but some of our coaches that hadn't seen him throw in a while came into our season and they were like, 'wow, the ball is really popping out of his hands.'" Ambrose said. "He worked really hard in the offseason last year to make some of those throws, whether it was footwork or putting on some weight through the weight room. That's helped a ton and he can make all the throws in our offense, and our offense is pretty complex in the passing game.
"He can put the ball in pretty much any spot, whether it's the deep out routes, the deep comebacks, throwing it down field - he can do it all."
On Wisconsin's current roster, Chase Wolf (6-foot-1, 197 pounds) is a logical comparison. There are a lot of similarities between the two athletes, who can each make plays with their feet and arm. Position coach Jon Budmayr saw something in Wolf that he coveted in the 2018 class, and he did the same with Burkett in 2022. In recruiting quarterbacks, though, there's more that factors into the equation.
"They really liked how I played but also how I carried and handled myself through this time," Burkett told BadgerBlitz.com. "I was patient and they liked how I didn't jump on something else before they came in. I know Coach (Paul) Chryst's main point was that he loved the person that I am. From the multiple people that he talked to, they all relayed the same message of what type of person I was, what type of leader I was and what I can bring to their football team. I think those were huge factors in them offering me and I am very grateful to receive that opportunity."
Looking at the 2022 class moving forward, having Burkett in place should factor in well on the recruiting front. He's connected with in-state standouts Carson Hinzman, Billy Schrauth, Joe Brunner and Isaac Hamm, as well Jerry Cross, who is currently committed to Penn State. Burkett will also work on national targets on both sides of the ball.
"The goal is to get on as many guys as possible," Burkett said. "Stack this class and try to bring in the best guys to win a national championship. I'm talking to all positions - wide receiver, running back, cornerback, defensive ends all over the country. I'm going to do my due diligence and go through the list of offers to find the guys I feel fit the role of what it's like to be a Badger and who really wants to come here and win some games. I'm going to work hard and try to bring a great class to Wisconsin, and that's my main goal for the future."
Burkett is just the third quarterback from inside the state to earn a scholarship offer from the Badgers during their recruitment since 2002. The others were Tyler Donovan, who signed with Wisconsin in the 2003 class, and Nate Stanley, whom Chryst tried to flip from Iowa when he took over the program in 2015. Danny Vanden Boom committed to UW as a preferred walk-on out of high school but was given a full scholarship on Signing Day in 2017.
Past notable quarterbacks from inside the state also include Tom Parish (Arrowhead/Minnesota), James Morgan (Ashwaubenon/Bowling Green), Sean McGuire (Franklin/Western Illinois) and Joel Stave (Whitnall/Wisconsin), among others.
