Tag: Luther Burden

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri

Few receivers offer the dangerous blend of talents found in this explosive slot receiver.

A St. Louis native, wide receiver Luther Burden III chose to stay in Missouri to play for the Tigers, despite receiving over a dozen offers from the who’s who of FBS programs after earning a five-star prep grade.

A top-10 prospect in the nation, Burden made 10 starts as a true freshman, accounting for nine total touchdowns in what proved to be a foreshadowing of his breakthrough sophomore campaign. The Tigers standout was good for 1,212 receiving yards and nine more combined scores in 2023, earning Second-team Associated Press All-American and First-team All-SEC honors.

Despite a dramatic statistical drop-off in 2024, Burden managed to once again garner First-team All-SEC recognition. He sat out of the Music City Bowl knowing the NFL awaited his explosive skill set, and he’s often forecasted to be chosen in the opening stanza of the upcoming draft.

Height: 6-foot
Weight: 206 pounds
40 time: 4.41 seconds

Table: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri (2022-24)

Year Team Class G Receiving Rushing
Rec Yds Y/R TD Att Yds TD
2022* Missouri Fr 13 45 375 8.3 6 18 88 2
2023* Missouri So 13 86 1,212 14.1 9 7 31 0
2024* Missouri Jr 12 61 676 11.1 6 9 115 2
Career 38 192 2,263 11.8 21 34 234 4

*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)

Pros

  • Dangerous in the open field due to a rare blend of twitchiness, vision, quick feet, and lateral agility
  • Natural hands catcher with plus hand-eye coordination — attacks the ball aggressively
  • Uniquely tough for his size
  • Elite body control to make eye-opening adjustments
  • Adept deep-ball tracking traits
  • Fits most systems as a primary slot receiver
  • Skilled operator at all levels — the vast majority of his targets came around the line of scrimmage by design, but he offers so much more than that
  • Presents punt return value — productive as a freshman, including one return for a TD
  • Top-level NFL WR upside

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Cons

  • Needs to play through the whistle more frequently when the ball isn’t coming his way
  • A few careless drops on tape when in heavy traffic
  • Occasionally gets “too cute” trying to dance his way for a few more yards
  • Limited experience playing on the outside — may struggle with consistently getting off the line in the NFL if he’s playing as an X
  • Offers little in the blocking game despite being known for his toughness

Fantasy football outlook

Burden doesn’t have a great NFL comparison, but a blend between Jeremy Maclin and Deebo Samuel is a fair way to view what he can do.

It will be surprising if he manages to slide too far out of Round 1, so we’ll focus on what is most likely rather than … burdening … you with low-probability speculation. The teams with a need and in reasonable position to choose Burden include Seattle (18th), Tampa Bay (19th), Denver (20th), Green Bay (23rd), Houston (25th), and Buffalo (30th).

Seattle, Denver and Houston should be the best bets if he goes in Round 1 with a trade up. Should he make it into Round 2, Burden is poised to go early to Cleveland, Tennessee, Las Vegas, New England, Chicago, or New Orleans — owner of the 41st pick, which is about as far as he’ll fall.

In fantasy, Burden will be at his best in a creative West Coast system. Sean McVay would be an ideal coach for his talents, although that seems like a long shot in Round 1. Burden’s rookie outlook ranges from WR4 depth to low-end No. 2 upside, but he has long-term WR1 potential written all over him.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper mocks PFF’s ‘perfect 2025 draft prospect’ to Cowboys

If the Cowboys go offense with their first pick, Luther Burden seems to make a lot of sense according to the experts.

It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys’ offense took a turn for the worse in 2024. With both QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb stuck in negotiations all offseason, the passing game was not firing on all cylinders to start the year. WR Brandin Cooks struggled through the start of the season dealing with a knee injury, and with third-year WR Jalen Tolbert failing to step up, things never gelled before Prescott was lost for the year with a hamstring injury.

Cooks is now a free agent, and the offense will look a lot different with head coach Mike McCarthy not returning. The Cowboys will need some help to augment their passing game, and based on picking No. 12, wideout is going to be a position often assigned to them in mock drafts.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper feels similarly. In his first mock exercise of 2025, he wedded Dallas to Missouri WR Luther Burden III.

12. Dallas Cowboys – Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

Yes, it’s a mock draft without Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty going to Dallas! I think it’s possible the Cowboys will take Jeanty, and there’s no arguing that they need a boost to the run game. But I imagine they’d first try to fix that hole in free agency. And regardless, this team has to find playmakers all over, period.

Putting Burden’s valuable after-the-catch ability opposite CeeDee Lamb would open things up for Dak Prescott. Dallas has been looking for a reliable one-two receiver punch in the offense for a while; it hasn’t had two WRs over 700 receiving yards since 2021, when Amari Cooper was still in town. Burden has the explosive traits to change that.

Kiper isn’t the only one who feels strongly about the pairing. On Thursday, Pro Football Focus went to work identifying the perfect 2024 draft prospect for each of the NFL’s 32 teams. Burden was the match for Dallas there as well.

The Cowboys definitively have needs along their defensive roster, but Jerry Jones is as concerned with the Cowboys brand as much as he is winning and wants that brand to be exciting and on our television screens as much as possible, so adding an explosive offensive weapon to pair with CeeDee Lamb would do just that.

While CeeDee Lamb played about half of his snaps out wide and half in the slot, Burden has played over 80% of his snaps out of the slot over the past two seasons. Burden is dangerous with the ball in his hands. He can be used on jet sweeps and screens to quickly get the ball to him and allow him to use his incredible acceleration to generate big plays. Burden has 25 touchdowns over the last three seasons, including four rushing touchdowns.

 

Bengals get another Tee Higgins replacement in new mock draft

Until the Bengals re-sign Tee Higgins, mock drafts will keep sending them WRs early.

Until they get something done, if they even can, the Cincinnati Bengals will keep seeing Tee Higgins’ name pop up in rumors while mock drafts project them to draft a replacement.

The logic of drafting a replacement certainly isn’t misguided, either, given the latest developments on the shocking Jermaine Burton situation.

One new mock draft example of this comes from Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer, who has them picking Missouri wideout Luther Burden III at No. 17:

The Bengals may want to try to keep Tee Higgins along with extending Ja’Marr Chase with a lucrative contract, but Higgins might end up being too expensive. Burden can be a strong cheap contingency to play well off Chase as an immediate impact No. 2.

Going from Higgins’ big-bodied game to the 5’11” Burden would cause some necessary adjustments to the offense — but it would be pretty interesting, too. The Tigers star, after all, just put up 2,200-plus yards and 21 scores while averaging nearly 12 yards per catch over three seasons.

Luther is one of many notable mid-first-round weapons the Bengals could look at if things go south with Higgins.

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Saints add explosive Missouri wide receiver in 2025 NFL mock draft

The New Orleans Saints added explosive Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in this 2025 NFL mock draft:

With the New Orleans Saints seemingly locked into another year of Derek Carr under center and in a bad spot to draft a quarterback, could they instead opt to add more weapons for Carr to work with in the 2025 NFL draft?

That’s what Ian Valentino of 33rd Team had them do in a recent mock draft, choosing Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III with the No. 10 overall selection. This is what Valentino had to say about his choice:

“Locked into several expensive veterans who are declining, the Saints really just need to go with the best player available at a position of need. The receiving room has produced some nice complementary pieces, but Chris Olave would benefit as much as anyone from a true partner. Burden can transform the passing offense with his speed and creativity after the catch.”

Burden has had up-and-down production in college, but should still be considered an elite wide receiver prospect. The playmaker has 192 catches for 2,263 yards with 21 touchdowns during his time with the Tigers. He also has 34 carries for 234 yards and two more scores.

While New Orleans could certainly use more wide receiver help, Burden would be an odd choice. Not for talent, but his fit with the other players on the roster. He doesn’t do much else than what Olave or Rashid Shaheed bring to the table. Perhaps the resources could be used for an offensive weapon that would add more diversity to the offense.

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Missouri WR duo pose biggest threat to Oklahoma defense

Can Oklahoma’s defense slow down Luther Burden and Theo Wease?

The Oklahoma Sooners defense has been the strength of the team in 2024. They’re one of the best run defenses in the nation. But if there’s been a weakness it’s been in coverage.

It hasn’t been bad. The Sooners rank No. 67 in the nation in passing yards allowed per game. At the same time, they’ve been in situations against Tennessee, Texas, and South Carolina where their opponent didn’t feel the need to throw a whole lot due to the way the game played out.

The game against Ole Miss revealed some of the struggles the Sooners have had this season. Jaxson Dart, one of the best quarterbacks in the country, threw for over 300 yards. A number of his targets had plenty of space in the pass concept, making Dart’s job a lot easier. And that was without standout wide receiver Tre Harris in the lineup.

This week, as the Sooners get ready for Missouri, they face arguably the best receiver duo they’ve seen all season in future first round pick Luther Burden and former Sooner [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag].

The two have combined for 77 receptions, 932 yards, and five touchdowns this season. Burden also has 105 yards rushing and two touchdowns this year as the Missouri Tigers look for multiple ways to get him the football.

One critical component to the Tigers passing game may not be available this week as Brady Cook has been battling a couple of injuries and was listed as questionable on the initial injury report.

Still, with a bye week to get Drew Pyne prepared, the Sooners can’t sleep on Missouri’s duo of Burden and Wease. They can create big plays in the passing game, especially if the Sooners suffer lapses in coverage.

For Oklahoma to get a win this week, they’ll need their defense playing sound coverage on the back end to help support their stout run defense.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Saints among 10 teams with scouts at Texas A&M vs. Missouri

The New Orleans Saints were among 10 teams with scouts at Texas A&M’s game with Missouri on Saturday. Who could they have been scouting?

There’s always a strong contingent of NFL scouts at Kyle Field, but the New Orleans Saints were in that number for Saturday’s matchup between Texas A&M and Missouri, per Joey Van Zummeren at Missouri Tigers on SI. Which 2025 draft prospects could the Saints have their eye on?

Defensive end/outside linebacker Nic Scourton is the top prospect for the Aggies, and he has the size the Saints covet at a listed 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds. Before transferring from Purdue he led the Big 10 in sacks (10) in 2023, and he’s seen as a sure thing for the first round. His teammates along the defensive interior, Shemar Stewart and Shemar Turner, are also likely to be picked early next year, and quarterback Conner Weigman is high on some draft boards, too.

But the best prospect in the game was wide receiver Luther Burden. A potential first overall pick in his own right, Burden broke out with 85 receptions for 1,212 yards and scored 9 touchdowns last year, and he’s since picked up where he left off with four scores in as many games. Right tackle  Armand Membou has an NFL future, too, and his matchup with Scourton could do a lot to impact his draft stock.

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3 Missouri players to watch ahead of Texas A&M’s Week 6 matchup

Here are three Missouri players to watch ahead of Texas A&M’s Week 6 matchup

Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0 SEC) will return to Kyle Field for the fourth time this season. On Saturday afternoon, the Aggies will host the undefeated Missouri Tigers (4-0, 1-0 SEC) as both teams look to earn their first significant wins this season.

Missouri’s roster, filled with veteran talent at nearly every position, is anchored by a passing game led by senior quarterback Brady Cook and star wide receiver Luther Burden. The two have connected for all four passing touchdowns this season.

Coming off a bye week, the Tigers should be well-rested and ready to face an Aggie team playing with confidence after defeating Arkansas 21-17, but Texas A&M’s inconsistent offensive attack is still an issue, as redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed has dealt with accuracy issues.

However, if the Aggies can control the line of scrimmage, run the ball effectively, and Reed hit his targets, this should be a close contest that could go either way. Here are three Missouri players to watch on Saturday ahead of the game.

WR Theo Wease Jr. 

While many of you likely thought I would list wide receiver Luther Burden, remember that Elko and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman will likely bracket the junior, leaving Theo Wease Jr. as another target for QB Brady Cook to gain chunk yards in the passing game.

In his final season, Wease leads the Tigers with 287 receiving yards, including 149 yards in the win against Buffalo in early September. Watch for Wease and wide receiver Mookie Cooper to be heavily targeted if Burden fails to get going.

DT Chris McClellan 

Missouri’s safety group leads the team in most statistical categories on defense. Still, junior defensive tackle Chris McClellan, who stands at 6-3 and 320 pounds, recorded seven tackles in the Tigers’ win over Vanderbilt. He possesses the strength and functional athleticism to stop the run and potentially get in the backfield against the Aggie interior; however, who he will line up against matters, as sophomore left guard Chase Bisontis has been playing his best football lately.

QB Brady Cook

This is an easy one. Cook’s performance will likely determine the game, as Texas A&M’s run defense looks to limit the Tigers’ running game early. In the first four games, Cook has been efficient, completing 68% of his passes while facing below-average secondaries, but still very impressive.

While Cook isn’t the athlete that Arkansas QB Taylen Green is, he has run for four touchdowns this season. This means Texas A&M’s defense needs to apply pressure from every angle, similar to the Arkansas defensive game plan. Preventing Cook from getting into a passing rhythm is key, but this young man is tough and tested, so it will take one heck of an effort to get him off-kilter

Texas A&M will host Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 11:00 a.m. CT. The game will air on ABC and will be available for streaming on ESPN+.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

‘Luther Burden is elite’ Texas A&M HC Mike Elko praises Missouri’s offense

How will Texas A&M’s secondary keep Missouri WR Luther Burden at bay?

Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0 SEC) will head back to Kyle Field for a Saturday afternoon showdown against Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC) a week after defeating Arkansas 21-17 in a game that could have gone either way after being tied 14-14 for most of the afternoon.

A win is a win, and the Aggies now have a chance to start 3-0 in the SEC for the first time in more than a decade. However, as head coach Mike Elko noted on Wednesday during his SEC Teleconference appearance, the Tigers’ offense, especially the passing game, will present a significant challenge for the Aggies’ secondary.

Starting with Missouri quarterback Brady Cook, who has thrown for 946 yards and four touchdowns in four games, star wide receiver Luther Burden, who is regarded as one of the top five prospects ahead of next year’s 2025 NFL draft, has hauled in every one of Cook’s touchdown passes coupled with 257 receiving yards.

Knowing his talent level and impact on the game plan, Elko praised Burden’s skillset while noting that A&M’s defense will have its hands full. However, wide receivers Theo Wease (287 yards) and Mookie Cooper (130 yards) can also break the game wide-open.

“It’s hands-down the most impressive group we’ve seen this year. … Luther Burden is elite.”

“If you shift any type of coverage to Burden, Theo (Wease) can have a field day on you. … They’re gifted. We’ll have to be on our game to slow them down.”

Texas A&M’s cornerback rotation showed much improvement against Arkasnas’s equally talented wide receiver rotation, led by junior cornerback Will Lee III, who recorded four pass deflections in Saturday’s win and will likely be responsible following Burden stride for stride.

Another Aggie cornerback to watch on Saturday is former Alabama CB Dezz Ricks, who recorded five tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception during his first start with the program.

Texas A&M will host Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 11:00 a.m. CT. The game will air on ABC and will be available for streaming on ESPN+.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Steelers land offensive playmaker in new 2025 mock draft

Wide receiver and quarterback are the offensive positions to watch this offseason for the Steelers.

In Week One, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens caught six passes on seven targets. No other Steelers wide receiver caught more than one pass. This is not what anyone envisioned with the new Arthur Smith offense.

So as we look ahead to the offseason, adding another playmaker at wide receiver has to be a high priority. In the latest 2025 NFL mock draft over at The Draft Network, they took this approach for Pittsburgh with their first-round pick.

They opted for Missouri wide receiver to the Steelers as the third receiver off the board at the No. 14 overall pick. Here’s what they had to say about the selection:

The Steelers’ quarterback situation has stolen the headlines the entire offseason, but the one position that I believe needs to be highlighted is the receiver position. Yes, the Steelers have talent, but is it to the standard that the Steelers usually have? With this pick, they draft Luther Burden III, a slot-dominant player who can move to a different alignment and should be a great complementary piece to George Pickens and a healthy Roman Wilson.

A small run on quarterbacks is a big reason why Burden lands with the Steelers. If the first round plays out like this, the temptation would be there to roll the dice on Miami quarterback Cam Ward but we are good with the safer option in Burden.

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SEC Network features Oklahoma in X-Men intro to 2024 season

The SEC Network released an X-Men styled animated intro to the 2024 season and an Oklahoma Sooners star was prominently featured.

The SEC is embarking on a new adventure in 2024, welcoming the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns to the conference. With the season kicking off, Oklahoma and Texas were featured in a video released by the SEC Network’s social media account on X formerly known as Twitter.

In a play on the 1990s animated “X-Men The Animated Series”, the SEC featured a number of teams, including the Red River Rivals.

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and Quinn Ewers can be seen flying the X-Wing, the jet that had stealth properties into SEC country. The video featured a number of players as X-Men.

  • Jalen Milroe, Alabama, as Cyclops.
  • Carson Beck, Georgia, as Storm.
  • Harold Perkins, LSU, as Wolverine.
  • Quinn Ewers, Texas, as Jubilee.
  • Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, as Gambit.
  • Luther Burden, Missouri, as Nightcrawler.
  • James Pearce, Tennessee, as Magneto.
  • Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma, as The Beast.

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1829584490143809902

Danny Stutsman as The Beast is fitting, considering he matches a physical play style with an intelligence garnered from years of experience. The preseason All-SEC and All-American selection will lead the Oklahoma Sooners defense into the SEC as they hope to make a run at a conference title in year one in the league.

The Sooners open year one in the SEC Friday night at 6 p.m. CT against the Temple Owls. Their first SEC game comes in Norman on September 21.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.