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The Wisconsin Badgers are racking up defensive back transfer commitments. The latest came on Wednesday night from Missouri transfer safety Marvin Burks Jr., who started this past season for the Tigers.
Burks had a solid 2025 campaign, recording 49 total tackles, one PBU, one interception, and one forced fumble. His only interception of the season was a 28-yard pick-six against rival SEC team Mississippi State. Metrics-wise, Burks grades out as one of the better free safeties in the country, recording an overall defensive grade of 74.8, a coverage grade of 74.1, and a run defense grade of 77.4. Burks played over 60% of his 668 snaps as a free safety, but also spent a fair amount of time in the box as a run defender.
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One of the bigger criticisms of Burks' game from Mizzou beat writers and fans is that he can over-commit and miss his assignment occasionally, totaling nine missed tackles this past season. However, the play style of the Big Ten fits Burks' strengths better than the SEC does, considering his skill set as a run defender, even as a free safety.
Cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples and company have done an excellent job this offseason to help overhaul a position group that was a real area of need this cycle for the Badgers, with Ricardo Hallman off to the NFL and others, including Preston Zachman, gone to the portal. Grabbing a safety with as much power-conference experience as Burks is a huge recruiting win for this staff and should build on fans' cautious optimism headed into next season.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin football transfer safety Marvin Burks Jr. commitment
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