TEMPE, Ariz. -- The days of cornerback Denzel Burke sneaking down from the upper deck of State Farm Stadium to get a better seat at Arizona Cardinals games are over.
He'll have the best seat in the house this fall.
Burke, an Arizona native, was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round with the No. 174 pick, fulfilling his dream of not just reaching the NFL but doing so for his hometown team.
"This was kind of something I've always wanted to do," Burke said. "Especially [after] they showed interest for me [during] the whole predraft process, and I just felt it was home, especially when I went to the local pro day and meeting with everybody on staff.
"It was amazing."
And now he is home in more ways than one.
Burke grew up in West Phoenix, North Scottsdale and Tempe, and went to high school at two Arizona prep powerhouses -- Saguaro High School and Brophy College Preparatory -- before moving on to Ohio State. One of his favorite Cardinals memories from growing up is the 2008 NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which Arizona won 32-25 at home.
Burke moved back in with his parents in Arizona after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship in January, but he won't be living there for long. The 22-year-old said he'll be closing on a house soon. In the meantime, he's embracing the convenience of staying with his parents. While the rest of his rookie class flew to Phoenix for rookie minicamp in May, Burke just drove to the Cardinals' facility in Tempe.
Being the hometown guy, Burke is the one teaching his rookie classmates how to handle the Arizona heat.
"It is something you got to get used to," he said. "Just stay hydrated and if you love football, weather shouldn't really be a problem."
Burke isn't just familiar with his new team and new stadium. Before the draft, he trained with veteran Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V, who will assist him in a crowded cornerbacks room that includes Burke's rookie roommate -- and college rival from Michigan -- Will Johnson.
"I love Will," Burke said. "We have a great relationship.
"We're just continuing to build our relationship, our bond and just put our heads down, continue to work and get each other better."
However, there are more familiar faces for Burke beyond rookies. Former Buckeyes on the roster include linebacker Cody Simon, a fellow 2025 draft pick, and offensive tackle Josh Fryar, an undrafted free agent, along with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (drafted in 2024), offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (2023) and linebacker Baron Browning (2021).
Like all the rookies, Burke will have a learning curve in the NFL. He already knows that it'll take a short memory to be successful as a pro.
"A lot of great guys you're going to be going against weekly," he said. "And it's important for you to put your best foot forward and knowing that some guys are going to win some reps and you just got to keep going and just make sure you win the majority of the reps."
Burke enters the NFL with a significant amount of experience. He started as a freshman at Ohio State in 2021 and left school with 51 starts, the most in school history for a defensive back. That stood out to coach Jonathan Gannon, a former defensive back.
He said Gannon's background adds to the coach's relatability, and it'll also be advantageous that Gannon has firsthand experience with what Burke is being asked to do. Burke's own experience was just one of his traits that Gannon liked.
"First, the character," Gannon said. "Really good guy, really smart. He's played at the highest level. He's played a lot of ball. We liked his skill set, thought he was a scheme fit, thought he was a Cardinal and kind of felt really good about adding him where we added him."
In the moments after hearing his name called in the draft, Burke said he was ready for the next phase of his life to begin.
He'll take that step while being close to the familiarity of home. He's ready for all that comes with it, too -- including ticket requests.
"We're going to have to figure it out," he said. "I don't think I get that many tickets, but we'll figure it out."
In a few months, he'll get a chance to make new memories inside that building. If you would've told a younger Burke sitting in the stands that he'll be playing on the field below with his Cardinals jersey for sale one day, his response would've been short.
"Shoot," he said, pondering the idea. "Cool."