Mizzou Star Listed as Best Selection of 2025 NFL Draft

An ESPN analyst believes the Chicago Bears made great value by selecting Missouri's star offensive playmaker.

Missouri Tigers receiver Luther Burden III at practice at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. | Matt Guzman/MissouriOnSI

The Chicago Bears made the most with the 39th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Matt Miller of ESPN believes.

Miller listed the Bears' selection of Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III as the best selection in this past year's NFL draft. Miller included this ranking in his list of the 100 best picks from the draft.

Miller had Burden rated as the best wide receiver in his class (he included Travis Hunter in his own category), and the 13th best player overall in the class.

"Burden's yards-after-catch ability is terrific," Miller writes. and (head coach Ben) Johnson's scheme has been elite at creating space for wide receivers. Burden likely starts as a slot receiver with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze flanking him, but he thrived in that alignment at Missouri."

Including Hunter, Burden was the sixth wide receiver off the board, and the second in Round 2. He's the highest-selected Missouri wide receiver since Jeremy Maclin went off the board at the 19th overall pick in 2009.

Burden was a threat over the middle of the field for all three of his years with Missouri, showing his most potential during his 1,212-yard, nine-touchdown sophomore season in 2023.

Miller also had the New York Jets' selection of Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou rated as the 19th best in the draft.

Matt Miller's Top 15 Picks of the 2025 NFL draft:
1. Chicago Bears: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
2. Arizona Cardinals: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
3. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
4. Philadelphia Eagles: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
5. Atlanta Falcons: Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia
6. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
7. Bears: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
8. New York Giants: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
9. Baltimore Ravens: Malakai Starks, S, Georgia
10. Cleveland Browns: Shedur Sanders, QB, Colorado
11. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
12. Washington Commanders: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
13. New Orleans Saints: Kevin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
14. Dallas Cowboys: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
15. Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron, DB, Texas