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Pete Thamel, ESPN
EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon star defensive end Jordan Burch‘s status for the game against Ohio State Saturday night is in flux after suffering a lower-body injury in practice Thursday, sources told ESPN.
Burch suffered a noncontact lower-body injury while going through a practice drill. He was helped from the field and appeared to be in considerable pain, sources told ESPN.
Burch is considered the most talented player on Oregon’s defense. He’s a 6-foot-6, 295-pound end who has been playing the best football of his career.
He entered the game as one of the country’s most productive defensive linemen, as he has five sacks, seven tackles for loss and four deflected passes. He’s Oregon’s leader in sacks and TFLs. He has also recovered a fumble.
Burch was ranked as ESPN’s No. 4 overall recruit in the country in the Class of 2020, and he attended South Carolina out of high school. He started 13 games for Oregon last year, his first in Eugene after transferring from Oregon, and began showing flashes of talent that fully manifested this season.
Burch’s spree of strong play this season put him squarely in the conversation to be a Top 50 caliber prospect in the NFL draft. Burch is a linchpin on an Oregon unit that’s No. 10 nationally in total defense and No. 21 scoring defense.