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When Luther Burden III made his decision to leave college for the NFL, the first round seemed like his destination. Would he land with the Super Bowl champion Eagles? But Burden made his first move after falling out of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Burden decided to work harder, according to a post on X by Joey Van Zummeren.
Luther Burden’s response to being left out of the first round of the NFL draft? A midnight workout at #Mizzou’s practice facility
Burden went fairly early in the first round in many mock drafts. But NFL teams backed away from the 6-foot, 206-pounder.
Missouri WR Luther Burden still waiting for call
Burden received a grade of 6.43 from nfl.com, labeling him as a “good starter within two years.” He’s a former five-star recruit and has the athleticism to match that evaluation, according to nfl.com.
“Burden is a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “He takes snaps off and short-circuits routes if he’s not the primary option. But he can separate and succeed on all three levels when it’s his time.
“Missouri exploited Burden’s yards-after-catch talent with a barrage of short throws, but NFL teams are much more likely to diversify his usage, activating his complete skill set and big-play potential. The production against top teams was uneven at times, but so was Missouri’s quarterback play. Burden checks several priority boxes that typically foreshadow an impressive NFL career.”
However, wide receivers Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, and Matthew Golden all went in the first round with Burden on the outside looking in.
Part of Burden’s problem with NFL teams likely came from questionable character, according to Sports Illustrated.
“After a drop off in production in 2024, and rumors of character concerns, this slip into Round 2 is not a surprising one,” Van Zummeren wrote. “ In 2024, Burden only had one game with over 100 yards, ending the season with 676 receiving yards and six touchdowns.”
However, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz defended Burden’s character, according to Sports Illustrated via YouTube.
“There are these quiet critics out here who say he has a character problem,” Drinkwitz said on the Rich Eisen Show. “My response to everybody has been, he's never been arrested, he's never had a public incident at our university, he has never once been to my office to complain about his role. He's just been a great teammate.”
