Luther Burden Reacts to First-Round NFL Draft Snub

The Missouri wide receiver shared his reaction in an Instagram post.

Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers receiver Luther Burden III (3) tilts his head in disappointment after an overthrown pass against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. | Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Luther Burden III will enter the NFL with a chip already on his shoulder.

After the NFL decided to skip out on Burden in the first round of selections in the 2025 NFL draft, the Missouri Tigers wide receiver strapped up his cleats.

After the round concluded, Burden posted a photo to his Instagram story at Missouri's indoor practice facility with a 12:52 a.m. timestamp.

In the original post of the picture, which Burden has since deleted, he included a caption saying he would 'show them.'

@lutherburden3 on Instagram

Burden watched Round 1 from Missouri's athletic facilities, looking on as four different wide receivers were selected ahead of him.

Burden does have the respect of his fellow wide receivers in the draft class, including Tetairoa McMillan, who the Carolina Panthers selected with pick No. 8.

"Sky's the limit for him," McMillan said of Burden to MissouriOnSI in a interview Wednesday. "He plays with that fire, that tenacity, that passion."

Burden likely won't have to wait too long to hear his name called Friday afternoon when Round 2 begins though. The Tennessee Titans, who hold the third pick in the round, hosted Burden on a pre-draft visit, and could look to pair a playmaker with No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.

The Las Vegas Raiders, who also hosted Burden on a pre-draft visit, hold the fifth pick of the round.

No matter where Burden is selected, he'll be looking to validate his confidence in himself.

"I just want to show I'm the best (wide receiver in the class)," Burden said in a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine.

READ: Burden Still has 'Something to Prove'

Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft kicks off 6 p.m. Friday. Burden is set to be the second Missouri player selected in this year's draft after the New York Jets selected offensive lineman Armand Membou with the seventh-overall pick.