Luther Burden 2025 NFL Draft & Dynasty Profile
Luther Burden 2025 NFL Draft & Dynasty Profile
Position: WR | School: Missouri | Class: – | Date of Birth: December 12, 2003 | Height: 5-11 | Weight: 208 lbs
Luther Burden Bio
Luther Burden was a five-star prospect out of East St. Louis High School in the 2022 recruiting class. He opted for Missouri over offers from both Alabama and Georgia among many others. Burden started 10 of 13 games as a true freshman, catching 45 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns. He added 18 carries for 88 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Burden also returned punts, taking one back for a touchdown.
Burden saw a significant bump in production in 2023. He caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. He remained active as a runner and punt returner as well. Burden was named second-team All-America and first-team All-SEC for his efforts. He was also a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s best receiver.
The numbers dropped in 2024, partly because of poor quarterback play at Missouri. Still, Burden caught 61 balls for 676 yards and six touchdowns while adding another 115 yards and two scores as a runner.
College Stats
Luther Burden college stats courtesy of sports-reference
Positives
- Alignment Versatility
- Ball Tracking
- Contested Catches
- YAC
- Acceleration
- 6.6 receptions per game (best season, 2023)
- 3.21 yards per team pass attempt (best season, 2023)
- 39% receiving touchdown share (best season, 2023)
- 37.3% Dominator Rating (best season, 2023)
- 34 career rush attempts (4 TDs)
- 24 career punt returns (1 TD)
Negatives
- Inconsistent creating separation on the outside vs press
- Routes & route tree have room for improvement
- May be reliant on manufactured touches early in career
Highlight Reel
Archetype: Possession WR
NFL Comp: Jayden Reed
Performance Score: TBD
Draft Projection: Top-20
NFL Draft & Dynasty Outlook:
Luther Burden is a versatile slot receiver who thrives at creating after the catch. He bursts off the line to create quick separation—often in the short areas of the field—then gets to work as a YAC machine. Not only is he fast and shifty, but Burden will use his strength and contact balance to easily run through arm tackles. He will make an undisciplined and poor tackling defense pay and is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. That includes in the kicking game, where Burden can be a team’s primary punt returner utilizing those same skills to put pressure on an opponent’s coverage team.
Burden can open vertically from time to time as well. He knows how to create separation, tracks the ball well, and has natural hands. He’s been known to make some pretty spectacular catches down the field and win in contested situations.
Where he does struggle is getting off physical press coverage on the outside. Burden can be a viable option along the boundary, but the separation is not nearly as consistent when a defender can get his hands on him and use the sideline. Burden will also need to expand his route tree and route quality if he’s to become a complete receiver at the next level.
Projecting to the NFL level, Burden is looking like a primary slot receiver who can move around the formation and win on all three levels, but will spend the majority of his time in the short areas of the field. That will allow him to get open quickly and do what he does best—eat up yards after the catch. Coaches will design ways to get him the football, including jet sweeps, screens, drag routes, etc. He will be a guy who is often put in motion before the snap to keep defenses on their toes and to avoid press coverage. Quarterbacks will enjoy his quick separation, reliable hands, and his ability to make the tough grabs.
If Burden can improve his route running and expand his tree, he could become one of the best weapons from this class. In the meantime, he will provide a complementary skill set for a team looking to add a playmaker to their offense. Burden projects to come off the board in the top-half of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He should be a high second round pick in rookie drafts if you’re in need of a receiver with some long-term upside.
NEXT: Tetairoa McMillan 2025 NFL Draft & Dynasty Profile
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