Wide receiver Luther Burden III spoke openly about his time with head coach Eli Drinkwitz ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine.
Luther Burden III Shines a Light on the Difficulties He Faced at Missouri
The Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III is one of the most talented weapons heading into the NFL Draft. Still, he made it clear about the adversity he faced during his time under head coach Eli Drinkwitz.
Burden was sublime in his Sophomore season, with 86 receptions for 1212 yards and nine touchdowns, putting his name in the spotlight as one of the best receivers heading into 2024. That season, however, was a bit more difficult for him, with just 61 receptions for 676 yards and six touchdowns, a real regression from 2023.
He spoke to reporters about what he learned during his time with Miz, and his biggest takeaway was, “Everything’s not going to be sunshine and rainbows; you’ve got to be strong when there are dark clouds over you.”
#Mizzou WR Luther Burden III on his biggest takeaway from 3 years with Eli Drinkwitz as his head coach: pic.twitter.com/sNyqvso7aw
— Joey Van Zummeren (@JoeyVZ_) February 28, 2025
This was a very open and mature response from the WR, who clearly wasn’t too happy with his usage in his Junior year before declaring for the NFL Draft. That hasn’t tampered with teams’ judgments, however, with him still being a consensus first-round pick in the majority of mock drafts.
Burden didn’t shy away from these personal, tougher questions. On his production dip in 2024, he said, “I feel like the opportunities I was given, I just traded to make it count when I was given the ball, and obviously, there was more in my Sophomore year.”
Despite a Dip in 2024, Burden Is Still 1 of the Top WRs in the Draft
The former five-star recruit is exceptional in many areas and was ranked the No. 1 receiver out of high school by ESPN and 247Sports. That talent just grew at Missouri, as his 1212 yards in his Sophomore season were the third most in school history. He went on to secure First-Team All-SEC honors.
Burden is an expert at creating separation for himself with an explosive first step and elite change of direction. His hands are elite already, and it is very rare that he drops the ball, making him a brilliant target even when contested.
CFN’s very own Will Helms released his 2025 NFL Draft Big Board, with Burden landing at No. 43 and the fifth-ranked WR in the class. Looking at our 2025 NFL Mock Draft, he is taken at pick 20 by the Denver Broncos and the second WR off the board.
The Broncos had a brilliant 2024 season, with rookie quarterback Bo Nix really showing what he can do. Adding Burden to a solid receiver core led by Courtland Sutton would be a brilliant pick for Sean Payton’s offense.
Denver’s defense is solid, so adding another weapon to a middling offense would be perfect. Burden has the ability to get open and is great after the catch, adding another layer to a team that maximizes every opportunity after the catch.
Their run game is not brilliant, but Burden has shown physicality and effectiveness as a blocker.
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The feeling is that Burden will go in the latter half of the first round of the NFL Draft. Whoever takes him will not only have a talented WR on their hands but also a guy who really wants to prove himself after a down year in 2024.
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