The Chargers added size, length and upside to their offensive line with fourth-round pick Travis Burke, a 6-foot-9, 330-pound tackle whose college path took him from South Broward to Gardner-Webb, then FIU and finally Memphis.
Burke was born on January 6, 2003 in Florida and played his high school football at South Broward, where he was coached on the offensive line by his father, a former college football player. He also played baseball, giving him a little more athletic background than the typical giant tackle prospect.
Even with a senior year shortened by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Burke was still rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports. He committed to Gardner-Webb and spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons there. After redshirting as a freshman, he became a full-time starter in 2022 and played all 13 games, starting eight at left tackle and five at right tackle.
From there, Burke moved to FIU for the 2023 and 2024 seasons and started 22 games, continuing to show he could handle both sides of the line. He then transferred to Memphis for the 2025 season, where he started 11 games and missed two because of injury.
That body of work helped put him on NFL radars. Scouts saw a lineman with real tools and plenty of developmental appeal, and NFL Scout Lance Zierlein described him this way: "Burke is a tall tackle with plus drive-blocking talent for his body type.
He uses flexible hips and ankles, along with well-placed hands, to create leverage at the point of attack. He finishes blocks with good aggression when the opportunity arises.
A lack of short-area quickness limits his range as a run blocker and in pass protection."
Los Angeles liked what it saw enough to trade up six spots and take Burke with the 117th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The production backed up the profile, too. Burke finished with an 84.5 PFF overall grade, an 81.5 pass block grade and an 84.2 run block grade, with 11 starts in his final college season. His measurables also draw an obvious comparison: Joe Alt.
Burke signed a four-year, $5,543,872 contract with the Chargers, including a $1,163,872 signing bonus and $1,163,872 guaranteed, according to Spotrac. In 2026, he’ll make a base salary of $885,000 while carrying a cap hit of $1,175,968.
For now, Burke enters the Chargers’ 2026 season as the fourth offensive tackle in the pecking order behind Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater and Trey Pipkins III. The plan is straightforward: develop him, let him learn, and see whether those rare tools eventually turn into starting-caliber NFL play. For a Day 3 pick, that’s a pretty solid landing spot.
In Other News...
Chargers Just Got A Reason To Believe The Chiefs Can Fall
The Chargers have spent years trying to close the gap in the AFC West, and this is the kind of outside noise that at least makes the chase feel a little less daunting. ESPN analyst Ben Solak pointed to Kansas Citys ongoing roster reshaping and the reality of contract decisions hanging over veteran players, arguing that the Chiefs may not look as untouchable down the line as they have for much of the Patrick Mahomes era.
For Los Angeles, the more interesting part is what comes next on its own side of the ledger. A roster that can stack up with Kansas Citys, plus a fresh offensive voice in Mike McDaniel, gives the Chargers a plausible path to making the division race real if Justin Herbert can settle quickly into the new system. Herberts adjustment could end up being the swing factor if the AFC West starts to tilt at all. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Have A Bigger Tight End Question Than Expected
The Chargers thought they had a clear answer at tight end after Oronde Gadsden IIs strong rookie season in 2025, but the picture changed fast when veteran David Njoku arrived on a one-year deal. Njoku brings nine years of experience and a Pro Bowl nod, giving Los Angeles a proven pass catcher who has long been more than just a depth piece.
What makes this especially interesting is that the competition may not end with one player simply winning and the other fading into a backup role. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has the kind of personnel mix that could lead to plenty of multiple-tight-end looks, which means Gadsden and Njoku may both have real value even as the Chargers sort out how to use them most effectively. [Read more 🡒]