Scouting Profile: Luther Burden III - WR - Missouri
Sales Pitch: Dynamic playmaking WR who excels in the short to intermediate areas of the field. Possesses a unique blend of strength and speed before and after the catch.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Luther Burden III is a former 5-Star recruit from the state of Missouri. He was one of the best players in college football in 2023, racking up over 1,000 yards and receiving both All-American and All-SEC honors. 2024 was a down year statistically, as the Tigers as a team took a step back, but was still able to receive Coaches All-SEC honors for the season.
Burden is a dynamic athlete with a compact frame and plus length. He is at his best as a receiver working out of the slot on underneath routes and intermediate crossers, where his burst and quickness shine. Burden is a big time YAC threat with the contact balance and agility to make multiple defenders miss in space. Missouri used him from a variety of alignments including some work out of the backfield to get him designed touches. While Burden is primarily an underneath receiver he does have the long speed and ball tracking skills to win vertically down the field. Top end body control and excellent hands allow him to win in contested catch scenarios in traffic as well.
Burden primarily worked out of the slot in college - over 80% of his snaps in both 2023 and 2024 - making his outside projection a little murky. He did not often have to face press coverage and when he did, struggled to get clean releases. Burden primarily ran crossers, slants and other quick game routes at Missouri, currently he lacks the polish to run a full route tree. His release and stem packages are mostly predicated on his first step burst and show little variety. He will need to improve this facet of his game the most if he wants develop into a complete receiver at the next level.
Burden projects as a starting Z WR who best fits in an offense that likes to spread the field horizontally and uses a heavy dose of motion to get it’s play makers into advantageous scenarios. His athletic ability and ball skills indicate a high ceiling, but a lack of polish and route running awareness indicate there is a lot of room for growth. Burden best projects as a gadget weapon early in his career with the upside to grow into a high end play making WR2 who must be paired with a more traditional outside WR.