Aubrey Burks Details Mindset About New Role for WVU Before Pursuing NFL

Aubrey Burks is well aware of the importance of the 2024 season, both for WVU and his personal career. But unlike in past years, Burks will have to manage the pressure on him while taking on a different role.

Burks, not one to shy away from expectations, discussed his mindset going into the 2024 season at Big 12 Media Days.

After referring to 2024 as a “contract year” throughout the spring, Burks is already preparing like a professional. With the NFL in sight, Burks is manifesting his dream and doing everything he can to improve his stock as much as possible before the 2025 NFL Draft.

“I just had a talk with an NFL player recently, and I asked him about the NFL, what is it like? He said, ‘There are guys here who are really talented and really good, and there are guys here who are not as talented, but their knowledge is keeping them in the league,'” detailed Burks. “That right there lets me know if you’ve got knowledge of the game, that can make up for not running 4.4 or if you don’t jump 40 inches.

“Knowledge can take you a long way. The more you know about the game the more you can play this game. I’m not the fastest guy on the field, I’m not the biggest and I’m not going to jump the highest, but my football IQ is pretty high,” said the senior safety out of Oakridge Fla.

But before worrying about the NFL, Burks will have to learn how to adjust his game to fit in with a new strategy for the Mountaineers. Due to some changes in the secondary, Burks, who usually has the freedom to roam around as a traditional free safety, is also expected to line up near the line of scrimmage at times as well.

Kelsie LeRose / WVSN

As one of the team leaders, Burks is embracing whatever the coaching staff needs from him. In fact, it even sounds as if he’s excited about being able to show his versatility.

“I want to be playing both. I’m going to play high safety and down in the box, depending upon on what teams are running and how they try and attack us,” Burks said.

“If a team comes out in 10 or 11, I will be playing closer to the ball, and so far, I like the change,” he added. “I’ve been telling coach (Neal) Brown and coach (Jordan) Lesley that is something I want to do. They told me that my game is better closer to the ball. It’s an opportunity this year to show how versatile I am and a great opportunity for me to show what I can do closer to the ball,” he explained.

And like his coaches, there are some in the national media who believe in Burks and regard him as among the best overall safeties in the country.

Despite coming off a season that was hampered by an injury, PFF’s Max Chadwick views Burks as an elite player, placing him at N0. 10 among the top returning safeties in the nation.

“Among returning Power Five safeties over the last couple of seasons, Burks has the best PFF coverage (90.3) and is second in overall PFF grade (90.2). The junior’s 22 coverage stops in that span is third among all Power Five safeties,” said Chadwick about why he included Burks.

Aubrey Burks Ranked Among Nation’s Top Safeties, Increasing Expectations for Final College Season

But Chadwick also added why he doesn’t have Burks higher on his list. “Burks needs to improve as a tackler, but the rising senior is a rangy player who consistently makes plays in the backend of the Mountaineers’ defense.”

Burks sounded very aware of the opportunity in front of him this fall when he last spoke to the media after a spring practice in March.

Burks referred to the upcoming 2024 season as a “contract year” for him in his career. The veteran safety then added that head coach Neal Brown used that label with him as a way to emphasize the importance his last college season.

While Burks did also say every season is a “contract year” in this climate, 2024 is different because it will be his last college season and his plan has always been to make it to the NFL above all else. He also used the topic of NIL and money to debunk the past speculation about his possible transfer to another program.

Burks said he stayed at West Virginia due to being comfortable. He then elaborated further, saying he did not want to have to learn a new coaching staff. According to Burks, far more was made about him possibly leaving than was ever actually the case.

But now that all of the speculation is behind him, Burks is focused on finishing out his time as a Mountaineer on the best note possible. However, in order for Burks to continue to progress as a player and be a leader for the WVU defense, he knew he had to get in the right head space again. On the status of his mental health, Burks made it clear he is in “good” spirits and fully ready to go after dealing with the roller coaster of emotions of a 2023 season that was derailed by an early season injury.

Aubrey Burks will enter his senior season at West Virginia after three years with the program. The versatile safety has appeared in 29 games for the Mountaineers and played in 12 this past season. Burks recorded 48 total tackles with four being for a loss. He also posted six pass deflections, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

For a related story, Bill Bender of the Sporting News cited concerns about the secondary as an issue for WVU during an episode of Mike Drop with Mike Asti.