There’s a quiet storm brewing ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, and its name is Luther Burden III. In an age where flamboyant declarations, NIL-fueled media frenzies, and social media antics often define the college football landscape, Burden has taken a decidedly different route. Reserved, focused, and surgical in his approach to the game, the Missouri wide receiver has built a résumé of production that quietly towers over many of his flashier peers. And yet, despite his consistency, versatility, and elite athletic profile, his name is often left out of the top-tier conversations surrounding the draft’s wide receiver class. It’s time to ask the question: is Luther Burden III the most underrated wide receiver in this year’s NFL Draft?
If you ask anyone in Columbia, Missouri, they’ll tell you Luther Burden is no secret. He was a five-star recruit for a reason. He’s been turning heads since the moment he stepped on campus. But on a national level, Burden has been overshadowed by players from bigger brands or with louder voices. And that’s just fine with him. That’s not where he gets his validation. For Burden, the validation comes from watching film. It comes from shaking corners off the line, creating separation in milliseconds, and hauling in passes through contact. It comes from beating double coverage, converting third downs, and turning a simple screen into a 60-yard highlight. He’s not interested in hype. He’s interested in greatness.
Burden’s journey from St. Louis to Mizzou was always about more than football. It was about legacy. It was about pride in his home state. Turning down offers from powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma, Burden chose Missouri not because it was the easy path, but because it was the meaningful one. He wanted to help bring national relevance back to a program that had faded into the shadows of the SEC hierarchy. In a world where high-profile athletes jump ship at the first sign of adversity, Burden’s commitment to Missouri never wavered. That says a lot about who he is—not just as a player, but as a person.
On the field, Burden has been electric. In the 2024 season, he exploded for over 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging more than 100 yards per game. He did it against SEC defenses, which are often packed with future NFL talent. He did it with defenses keying on him week in and week out. He did it while being bracketed, doubled, and bullied at the line of scrimmage. And he did it with a level of precision that makes NFL scouts drool. His route running is pristine. His footwork is elite. His body control is surgical. Burden isn’t just an athlete. He’s a technician. And in the NFL, that matters more than most people realize.
What separates Burden from other receivers in this class is his rare combination of short-area quickness, strength through contact, and field vision. At 5-foot-11 and 208 pounds, he’s built more like a running back than a traditional wideout—and he uses that to his advantage. Whether he’s taking a jet sweep, catching a quick slant, or executing a deep post route, Burden’s ability to slip tackles, read defenses, and accelerate in the open field is remarkable. He’s the kind of player who can turn a three-yard gain into a 30-yard statement. He forces defenses to account for him on every single play.
And yet, the silence surrounding his name in draft circles has been deafening. Maybe it’s because he didn’t play at a playoff powerhouse. Maybe it’s because he’s not a constant presence on national broadcasts. Maybe it’s because his demeanor doesn’t scream “alpha dog” in the traditional sense. But make no mistake—Burden is as much of a game-changer as any receiver in this class. Put on the tape. Watch him work. There are few wideouts in the nation who can do what he does, with the consistency and physicality that he brings to the position.
Scouts talk about separation quickness and suddenness. Burden checks both boxes. They talk about contested catch ability. Burden made a living off of those. They value versatility. Burden has lined up in the slot, out wide, in the backfield, and even returned punts. He can run the entire route tree. He can block. He can lead. There’s no “project” label here—he’s ready to contribute on Day 1. The right coaching staff is going to look at Burden and see a guy who can be a WR2 in Year 1, and a WR1 not long after.
There’s also something to be said about what Burden did for Missouri as a program. Before his arrival, the Tigers were in a lull. By the time he declared for the draft, Missouri had climbed back into the national spotlight, earning top-10 rankings, competing with SEC powerhouses, and flipping the narrative about their ceiling. Burden was at the heart of that. He gave the program an identity. His presence alone made Missouri a destination for other high-level recruits. His success redefined expectations. And that’s no accident.
Character matters in the NFL. Burden’s decision to stay loyal to Missouri, to build instead of bail, to develop instead of demand, speaks volumes. There were plenty of chances for him to chase a bigger brand, chase more NIL money, chase the spotlight. He didn’t. He stuck with his team. He elevated everyone around him. And in the locker room, he was respected as much for who he was as for what he did on the field. That leadership, that humility, that work ethic—it doesn’t show up on a stat sheet, but it wins championships.
Even in a stacked receiver class, Burden offers something unique: NFL-ready polish with the athletic profile of a dynamic playmaker. While others might bring elite size or vertical speed, few can match Burden’s completeness. He’s not the tallest. He’s not the fastest. But he’s the one who shows up every week and delivers. The one who doesn’t disappear when the spotlight gets hot. The one who makes the quarterback’s job easier. There are dozens of receivers in this class with highlight reels. There are only a few who can be relied upon as offensive cornerstones. Burden is one of them.
It’s not that teams are unaware of him. He’ll be drafted. Likely in the first two rounds. But where he lands—and how loudly his arrival is heralded—will say more about the league’s evaluators than it will about his talent. Because make no mistake: if Luther Burden III lands in the right system, with the right coaching staff and a quarterback who trusts him, he’s going to be a star. A silent one, perhaps. But a star nonetheless.
Draft analysts often get caught up in measurables and Combine stats. But the game isn’t played in shorts. It’s played in chaos. In pressure. In pain. And in those moments, Burden thrives