PFF Awards WVU’s Aubrey Burks Second Highest Grade for Safeties

WVU needs Aubrey Burks to have a big season in 2023, but his success won’t come as a surprise to those paying attention.

Burks, who has already been labeled a player with NFL potential by his coaches, was awarded the second highest grade for returning Power Five safeties by Pro Football Focus. PFF has Burks 84.9 points on their scale, trailing only Miami (FL)’s Kareem Kinchens.

Highest graded returning Safeties🔥 pic.twitter.com/Nf1vv7pZ4Q

— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 14, 2023

And when you factor in his experience, how much the West Virginia secondary will rely on him and the high praise thrown his way by safeties coach Dontae Wright, there’s good reason to believe Burks can live up to the hype.

“As good as he wants to be,” is what Wright said when directly asked about the ceiling for Burks, the player the West Virginia defense will rely on to be its leader in 2023.

Dontae Wright Feels Aubrey Burks Can be ‘As Good as He Wants to Be’

Wright then elaborated on his statement about Burks. “He can be a pro player or a really good college player. If he puts it all into it, he can play on Sundays,” said Wright.

Burks has already displayed a level of maturity with this year’s team. He admitted the lack of a vocal leader in the secondary was something West Virginia could never get over in 2022 after losing former Mountaineer Charles Woods in the first game of the season.

Burks is the second WVU player at the top of PFF’s preseason lists. Center Zach Frazier also ranks second for his position, ironically also behind a Hurricane.

We included Burks on our list of possible WVU products who could be 2024 NFL Draft prospects.