Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Gabe Burkle commits to Iowa State football

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Prairie senior-to-be tight end Gabe Burkle has committed to play college football at Iowa State, he said Wednesday.

Burkle is 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds and coming off knee surgery to repair his ACL after tearing it in Prairie’s fourth game last season. He had 10 catches for 155 yards and a touchdown prior to his injury.

Burkle said he expects to be medically cleared to begin full athletic activities soon. He said the knee injury did not make schools back off from recruiting him.

“No, not really,” he said. “It wasn’t that big of a problem (for them). They have that surgery and rehab down to a science now. A lot of teams and coaches aren’t really nervous about it.”

Burkle had six catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore. He plays in a unique single-wing offense that is based on an unbalanced offensive line, misdirection and extremely heavy approach on running the football.

He said that has helped him become a good blocker, though he feels confident in his receiving skills as well and said he expects Prairie to be more balanced this coming season.

Burkle said he had July visits planned to Indiana, Nebraska and Kansas State, but Iowa State was the first school to offer him.

“That was a big part,” he said. “But, really, the reason I just committed was I just had a gut feeling that it was time to commit. I didn’t think I needed anything else or really needed to go see any other schools. I felt like my mind was set on Iowa State.”

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