Razorback Roster Rundown: No. 33 Kelin Burrle

This article is part of a series previewing the Razorbacks’ 2020 football roster.

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As one of five members of Arkansas's 2020 class who graduated in time to enroll early, true freshman linebacker Kelin Burrle made big strides during winter conditioning. He went from 205 to 219 pounds, giving him a more realistic shot to see the field as a freshman, and earning praise from his teammates for his work.

"He’s the young buck in the group, so we’re always saying he’s got to get out of that freshman mindset," senior Grant Morgan said. "He’s got to become a college football player now and get out of high school. I called him yesterday and was joking with him about gaining a lot of weight while he’s back in Louisiana. But he did well over these past three months. He was just adapting to the workouts and just coming along. He’s a good frame, good build. He’s an athlete. Just like every kid that comes from Louisiana, that kids an athlete."

Burrle is one of the four linebackers Arkansas signed in the 2020 class and all four will be watched closely. The Razorback linebacker room needs significant improvement in both talent and depth, and the four new additions could be the group that gets things going in the right direction.

I'm afraid I could be underestimating Burrle but at 6-foot, 219 pounds, it seems like he'll need at least a redshirt year to develop into an SEC-size linebacker who's ready to contribute, even after enrolling early.

While the Razorbacks could end up using him somewhere in the depth chart at linebacker, if he's going to get playing time in 2020, it'll most likely be on special teams. The Razorbacks don't have a lot of depth at his position but the guys ahead of him are far more developed and experienced.

Burrle was an early offer for schools like LSU and Texas A&M, but wasted no time committing to UTSA after a visit ahead of his junior year with a teammate, Rae'kwon Starks, at Helen Cox (La.) High School.

Arkansas was one of a handful of schools to offer and remain in heavy contact with Burrle even while he was committed to the Roadrunners and the Hogs surged once the university let go of head coach Frank Wilson, a native of New Orleans. Sam Pittman and his new staff closed the deal and got his commitment and signature on early national signing day.

Burrle was a 4-star and in the top 15 in the state heading into his senior season but gradually fell to No. 24 in Louisiana.

MORE: Razorback Roster Rundown