2026 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Brody Burke, DL, Carleton University

• Name: Brody Burke
• Position: DL
• College: Carleton University
• Height: 6’4″
• Weight: 260 lbs
• Instagram: @brodydz

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

• What made me want to become a football player was definitely my family. My dad played at St. FX, and my brother played at U of T, so football was always around me growing up. I’ve always loved sports in general, but what really pulls me toward football is how competitive it is. More than anything, I love winning, and football is the sport where I feel I can compete at the highest level and make the biggest impact.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

• Nothing tops the Panda Game this year. Finally getting off that losing streak felt like all the weight from the past few years came off at once. A lot of the guys I came in with had become big parts of that win, which made it even more meaningful. Sharing that moment with my brother and my teammates is something I’ll never forget, because we all knew how much work, frustration, and sacrifice it took to get there.

• Another favourite moment from my football life was my first sack. I was still a rookie, I had not played much yet, so making a play like that meant a lot to me. It was one of those moments that made everything feel real and showed me I belonged out there.
• Other notable moments would be my first sack in the Panda Game, and beating my brother at U of T a couple of times in what we called the “Burke Bowl.” But more than any single play or game, the biggest thing I’ll take with me is all the memories I’ve made with my teammates over the years.

What are you looking to achieve as a football player going forward?

• I feel like the next step for me is pro football. More than anything, I just want to keep progressing as a player and see how far I can take this. I do not want to slow down now. I have been building momentum for a while, and I am not ready for that to stop. Going forward, I want to keep developing, make more connections, create more memories, and hopefully be part of a lot more wins.

If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day, who and why?

• Rob Gronkowski. I feel like that one kind of speaks for itself. He was my favourite player growing up, and he is just one of those guys who looks like he would be an unreal person to spend a day with. Beyond the fun side of it, I also think he would have a lot of insight to share about the game, handling pressure, and enjoying the whole journey.

Which one of your family members inspires you the most and why?

• My brother, without a doubt. He’s always been my competition, but also the one who paved the way for me. He had to break down a lot of the doors that I’ve been able to walk through, and he made a lot of things easier for me along the way. At the same time, he’s still the standard I’m chasing, and I really appreciate the pace he set.

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

• My favorite defensive scheme is a 4–4 with an athletic D-line. It lets you be aggressive against the pass while still being solid against the run. Even if the interior is a bit undersized, having four backers helps clean everything up and keeps the run game in check. It also puts a lot of importance on the outside linebackers being able to run with receivers, which I like because it keeps the defense versatile. We ran it really well in my third year, where we called it “8 Ball,” and it just felt like everything clicked.

What should we know about Brody Burke the person?

• I’d say the biggest thing to know about me is that I care deeply about my people. The people close to me are people I want to protect, support, and love hard. Loyalty means a lot to me, and I take pride in being someone others can count on.
• I’m also big on earning everything. I grew up in a home where a lot could have been handed to me, but my parents made sure me and my siblings understood that life is not about handouts. They taught us to work for what we have and to build things for ourselves, and that mindset has stayed with me.
• Personality-wise, I enjoy the quiet more than the loud. I like having space to think, stay grounded, and just be around the right people. But at the same time, I can operate well in both. I can handle the noise, the energy, and the spotlight when it is time to show up.
• I’m still only 21, so I’m still figuring parts of myself out, but I’d say at my core I’m loyal, hardworking, persistent, and someone who values the people around him.

What stands out about your film the most?

• What stands out most about my film is my versatility. I can play both tackle and end, transition from speed to power, and play specials. But most importantly, I make plays, I bring an unorthodox style, and I use my athleticism well. One of my biggest strengths is how I perform under pressure. When the moment gets bigger, I feel like I rise with it.

How do you handle challenges both in life and on the football field?

• I use challenges as fuel. I’ve been lucky enough to understand that setbacks usually mean you’re moving in the right direction, because they come with lessons. Obviously, like anyone, I hate losing and I hate when things go wrong, but I think one of my strengths is how well I bounce back and handle the ups and downs.
• That applies to life just as much as football. On the field, if I get knocked down, I like to believe I’m one of the fastest guys to get back up and go make the next play. I do not sit in failure for long. I try to learn from it, respond to it, and keep moving forward.

What would a team get in a player like you?

• A team would get a player who is always looking for ways to improve. I’m not someone who can sit still, and I honestly don’t know much outside of sports and competition. They’d get someone who pushes the people around him, asks questions, and works until he can’t anymore. I might not always have every answer right away, but I’ll find it, and I’ll make sure I get it. Beyond being a long, athletic lineman, they’d also get someone who understands that football is a job and treats it that way every day by showing up ready to work.

What do you love the most about the game of football?

• What I love most about football is that it’s different from any other sport because your time in it is limited. Unless you can find a group of 40-year-olds still willing to put their bodies on the line, there really is no lifelong version of football the way there is with other sports. The clock is always ticking, and I think that makes the game mean more.
• I also love the kind of people football brings together. You get big strong guys, smaller fast guys, people from different backgrounds, different ways of thinking, different kinds of intelligence, offense, defense, all of it. You share a room with all of them, and you have to learn how to connect, adapt, and grow with people who are not the same as you. That part is special to me. I love that feeling of a whole group, even from completely different places, coming together for one purpose.

Who is the most underrated player you’ve played with and why?

• Jake Henderson. He’s easily one of the best ball players I’ve ever played with. He makes plays, but more than that, he’s a guy who truly loves the game. I think people underestimate him at first, but he’s stronger than people think, he moves serious weight in the gym, and he works harder than almost anyone I know.
• He’s also an amazing person and a true leader. He leads by example every day, and guys naturally follow him because of how consistent and genuine he is.
• He just got invited to the East-West Bowl, and I’m honestly really happy to see him starting to get the recognition he deserves. Anyone who played with him on the Panthers already knew he could tackle, but now people are seeing that he’s got way more to his game. On top of that, he’s also an unreal entertainment wrestler, so if the CFL or NFL somehow miss on him, the WWE definitely shouldn’t.