Luther Burden III, WR

Height: 6-0
Weight: 206 pounds
Age: 20 years old (12/12/2003) 

Athletic Testing:

Hand Size: 8 1/2 inches
Arm Length: 31 1/4 inches
40-Yard Dash: 4.41 seconds
10-Yard Split: 1.55 seconds
Vertical: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

Missouri 

Year	Reception	Yards	Touchdowns
2022	45	375	6
2023	86	1,212	9
2024	61	676	5

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Pros:

• Elite first step
  Burden's first step off the line of scrimmage is next level and makes life difficult for defenses that play heavy zone concepts where a playcaller can attempt to scheme Burden onto an LB a few times a game. 
  
  
• Plays bigger than his size 
  While Burden isn't the biggest WR, he is able to go up and high point the football at a high level, which opens up the possible routes he could win at the pro level. While he struggles against physical CBs at the line of scrimmage, he has shown the ability to excel in contested catch situations. 
  
  
• Open field vision 
  If you get the ball into Burden's hands in space, he has the ability to make magic happen. He attacks the opening defenses, giving him a runner, and he is one of the best YAC WRs in this year's class. 
  
  
• Upside as a returner 
  The new kickoff rules in the NFL have returning ability at an all-time importance level across the league. With him being the top offensive option at Missouri, he hasn't been asked to do it a ton, but he has returned 23 punts over his three-year career for 265 yards and averages 11.5 yards per return. 

LUTHER BURDEN III ON 4TH AND 5 ??@MizzouFootball TAKES THE LEAD WITH 1:10 TO GO! pic.twitter.com/HzGC9P23Qt

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 17, 2024

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Cons: 

• Could struggle against physical CBs 
  Burden struggles when matched up against handsy DBs. His speed off the snap has led defenses to play press on Burden, and if they can knock him out of rhythm, it can almost take him entirely out of a play. 
  
  
• Dip in production in 2024
  After a strong 2023 season, many in the NFL Draft world ranked Burden as the number one WR in the 2025 class. But 2024 hasn't brought the same level of success. With just two games left, he will fall short of his 2023 yards, catches, and potentially touchdown numbers. 
  
  
• Lack of snaps as an outside WR
  Each NFL team's draft board ranking is unique at every position. However, the type of WR a team targets in the draft is very dependent on the role they are trying to fill. So you'd like a WR to have the ability to line up outside and in the slot. Outside of his freshman season, Burden has lined up mainly in the slot and has only logged marginal snaps outside. 

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Player Evaluation:

While Burden might not be the consensus number one WR in the 2025 draft class anymore, he is still a very talented prospect. He is expected to be selected inside the first two rounds. If a team is looking to add a dynamic talent to line up in the slot, he will likely be near the top, if not the top option, on their board. His best fit in the NFL would be to land somewhere that would emphasize scheming him into open space and allow him to use his elite instincts as a runner to make big plays. 

Player Comparison: 

Pro Comp: Brandin Cooks
A player I think NFL teams will want to model Burden's game after is Brandin Cooks. Cooks has been an uber-productive pro during his NFL career. He began his career going over 1,000 yards in four of his first five seasons. For Burden to hit this comp, he must develop his route tree more and become interchangeable between the slot and out wide. But I think that Burden and his team should aim for Cooks' production level as he prepares to begin his NFL career. 

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A to Z Rankings:

Draft projection: Late first round-Early second round 

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