The Missouri Tigers could have first-round picks in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2010-11, especially if wide receiver Luther Burden III remains in the Round 1 conversation.
Granted, Burden isn’t the only member of Missouri’s roster who seems likely to be selected in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft. That said, he was certainly the first one to generate early-round interest, and as a two-time All-SEC weapon, he’ll be high in demand come April.
Luther Burden’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 205 pounds
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Missouri
- Current Year: Junior
Burden’s Scouting Report
Coming out of East St. Louis, Burden was a superstar prospect at a powerhouse of Illinois high school football. He was the top player in the state and ended up committing to Missouri in 2021, making him the first five-star recruit they signed since 2015.
Given Burden’s high profile coming into college, it was no surprise that Missouri made an effort to get him involved. He caught 45 passes for 375 yards and scored six receiving touchdowns as a freshman.
The Tigers utilized his talents in space in other ways, as he also ran for a touchdown and returned a punt for a score. His eight offensive touchdowns led all true freshmen in the FBS in 2022.
After starting primarily out wide in 2022, Burden saw his production jump tremendously the more he played in the slot in 2023. He was a first-team All-SEC player and second-team All-American as a true sophomore, tallying 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns.
Burden generated a significant amount of NFL interest coming into his junior year, but Missouri didn’t target him as much in the passing game. Though his caught target percentage increased in 2024, he fell to 61 catches with 676 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.
With one more year of eligibility in his back pocket, Burden decided to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft after his junior year.
Strengths
- Finished with drop rates below 5.0% in each of his last two seasons at Missouri.
- Tremendous playmaker with the ball in his hands.
- Has a stout frame with impressive contact balance as a ball carrier, making it easier for him to shed tackles than the average wide receiver.
- Offers impressive creativity as a ball carrier, showing off the processing skills needed to read the whole field and find open running lanes in space.
- Explosive athlete who’s quick off the line of scrimmage and has the deep speed required to serve as a valuable vertical threat.
- Sure-handed receiver who makes grabs away from his frame consistently.
- Shows a good understanding of how to adjust the tempo of his routes to feel out soft spots against zone coverage and exploit them.
- Has a solid speed release close to the line of scrimmage.
- Showed improvement as a route-running technician throughout his time in college.
- Reliable receiver in tight windows who has great ball skills and the ability to seamlessly track down and adjust to deep passes.
- Maintains a high motor fighting through contact as a ball carrier.
Weaknesses
- Didn’t run a super deep route tree in college, as Missouri utilized him primarily on short routes designed to utilize his abilities in space.
- Doesn’t have tremendous length or height for the wide receiver position.
- Can do a better job of hand-fighting through man coverage to create subtle separation through his stems.
- Play speed can be inconsistent as a route runner when he isn’t the intended first read.
- Ability to disguise route concepts and keep defensive backs guessing is still a work in progress.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
When you get the ball in Burden’s hands, he’s going to make plays.
A sturdy slot receiver with an impressive combination of speed, power, and agility, Burden’s 2023 campaign showed that he’s more than capable of taking on a high workload. His natural playmaking skills make him dangerous in space, and he has ball skills to spare when allowed to stretch the field vertically.
As a route runner, Burden has shown progress but still needs additional development. Granted, part of that comes down to the way he was used in college, but his route salesmanship still needs some work.
Burden should end up being an instant starting wide receiver at the NFL level. He has some inside-outside versatility with the ability to thrive on jet sweeps and end-arounds, and his YAC ability is arguably the best of any wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
It seems pretty likely Burden will end up as a first-round pick in April. While a top-10 selection might be a bit steep given his need for additional development and his decrease in production in 2024, he’s absolutely a Day 1 talent in this class. A top-20 selection would make a lot of sense, and if he’s available after then, he would be a high-level addition to a playoff-caliber roster.
