2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

Is Burden being overlooked?

Missouri’s Luther Burden was widely considered one of the very best receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft when the 2024 season started. And considering he was coming off of a 2023 season in which he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and 9 touchdowns, the excitement was warranted.

He took a step back in 2024 as Missouri began to use him as more of a decoy in their route concepts, and his draft stock has seemingly taken a step back as well.

The New York Giants don’t need to draft a receiver highly. But could they do so anyway if Burden happens to fall out of the first round?

Prospect: Luther Burden III (3)
Games Watched: vs. LSU (2024), vs. Boston College (2024), vs. Texas A&M (2024), vs. South Carolina (2024)
Red Flags: Shoulder (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

Strengths

Best traits

• Yards after catch
• Athleticism
• Route running
• Vision
• Competitive toughness

Luther Burden III is a stout receiver with explosive athleticism and electric ability with the ball in his hands.

Burden is a versatile weapon who was used in a variety of ways by the Missouri offense. He was used out of the slot as well as out wide, ran the ball on sweeps, and was also commonly used as a blocker.

He’s a quick, twitchy athlete who’s able to make defenders miss in a phone booth, cut on a dime, and also has enough speed to turn modest gains into chunk plays or a touchdown.

Burden is a capable route runner with an efficient release and precise breaks. He is almost always where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there, and it’s incredibly difficult for defenders to stay in phase with him throughout his routes. Burden also has very good ball skills, quickly locating the ball in the air, tracking it, and making adjustments. He routinely extends to pluck the ball out of the air and secures as soon as possible.

Burden’s calling card has been yards after the catch, and he’s one of the most dangerous players in the draft with the ball in his hands. He has a great understanding how route concepts attack the defense and where open space will be. He also has fantastic vision and contact balance to identify running lanes and survive incidental contact on his way to daylight.

Finally, Burden has great competitive toughness. He’s a willing blocker for his teammates who quickly transitions from receiver to blocker and doesn’t shy away from taking on bigger defenders.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

• Size
• Length
• Hand size

Burden is widely considered one of the top receivers in this draft class for a reason.

There are very few true weaknesses in his profile, and most are related to his frame. Burden has a stout build at 206 pounds, but he’s a bit leaner than other players with a similar game. While he bases his YAC ability on his impressive athleticism, his game is undeniably physical and his mass and play strength are just a bit lacking.

Burden also has a relatively limited catch radius, which could limit him in close quarters at the NFL level. Likewise he has small hands at 8 ½ inches, which could be a concern for teams. He could fall below some teams’ thresholds, and it could also be an issue for teams in bad-weather environments.

The NFL will want to do their due diligence with respect to the shoulder injury he suffered back in October. While he didn’t miss any time, it’s possible that it contributed to his dip in production.

Game Tape

Projection

Luther Burden III projects as a starting receiver at the NFL level.

That said, his greatest value will be to teams that look to create opportunities for playmakers to produce big plays. Offenses like the ones run by the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Miami Dolphins will likely prize Burden’s ability to create with the ball in his hands and rack up explosive plays after the catch.

Other teams might view Burden as more of an “offensive weapon” or a slot-only receiver with YAC upside. Those teams might not attach the same amount of value to Burden and he’ll likely be lower on their boards.

Burden has the potential to have a “Deebo Samuel”, “Brandon Aiyuk”, or “Victor Cruz” like impact, but he’ll need to land in the right situation to maximize his skills.

Does he fit the Giants?
Possibly, depending on offensive plans and value.

Final Word: A later first round talent