Mizzou WR Luther Burden III Ready to Hit Ground Running with QB Brady Cook
Missouri Tigers receiving coach Jacob Peeler wants to remind everyone that star freshman receiver Luther Burden is just that, a freshman.
“I know this is coach speak, but I think (it’s important) not putting too many expectations on the kid,” said Peeler. “He just finished his high school senior year not long ago, just a few months back.”
Still, those expectations are sky high for the promising route runner from St. Louis, MO. Burden was one of the nation’s top receivers in the 2022 class and joined Mizzou early in January to begin preparing for this fall.
He’s already projected to be the Tigers’ number one wideout and could be the most dynamic player on this offense. Now that sophomore Brady Cook has been named the Tiger’s starting quarterback, what might this season look like for Burden?
Cook, also a St. Louis native, was the passer that Burden had the most chemistry with during spring practices and preseason camp. That connection likely played a role in Cook being named the starter and it will be something that head coach Eli Drinkwitz tries to strengthen throughout this season. Both Cook and Burden are inexperienced, but Missouri’s schedule starts off favorably for the young duo.
Of the first four teams that Missouri faces, only one opponent finished in the top 75 against the pass in 2021, Auburn who came in at 75th (Team Pass Defense Efficiency). The other three games include Kansas State (83rd) and Louisiana Tech (107th), as well as FCS Abilene Christian. This slate of games should allow Burden and Cook plenty of time to find their footing at game speed.
Drinkwitz knows that this receiving corps, especially Burden, will be the strength of the Missouri offense and says that he’s going to open it up for them, but don’t expect an all-out air raid from the Tigers. Cook is an efficient passer and understands coverage as well as anyone, but he’s not a downfield bomber with a rocket arm. And with Burden on the outside, he won’t need to be.
Burden is electric with the ball in his hands. He showed an innate ability to get into space and run by defenses in high school as both a receiver and returner. Although he’s a freshman, at 5’11” and 215-pounds, he possesses the sheer strength to run through the tackles of smaller defenders after the catch.
All the Tigers have to do is get the ball into his hands and if there’s one thing Cook excels at, it’s putting the rock where it needs to be. His snap count is limited but he’s 52-for-65 with no career interceptions, and in the Armed Forces Bowl Game against Army, he lit up the Knights with a flurry of quick dimes to Tiger receivers who did a lot of the work post-reception. With Burden on the receiving end of those quick hitters, a five-yard slant could easily turn into a 70-yard house call.
Missouri will still lean heavily on their rushing attack this season to establish their passing game. They’ll need to keep defenses honest to give their sophomore huddle caller time to pass and keep him off the ground.
Burden will be most dangerous when teams stack the box to stop the run and are forced to leave corners on an island with him, allowing him to take advantage of the mismatch. As the season goes on, Burden will likely be asked to do more and more, but it’s a responsibility that he’s likely looking forward to.
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