Chicago Bears NFL Draft Steal Luther Burden III Is 'Big Fan' Of Caleb Williams

In a somewhat fortuitous circumstance, the Chicago Bears were able to land one of, if not the most, dynamic offensive weapons in the 2025 NFL Draft when they selected wide receiver Luther Burden III from the Missouri Tigers with the 39th pick. Burden III was expected to be taken among the first 25 picks, but ultimately fell to the Bears at the top of the second round. Coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams add another weapon to the burgeoning Bears' attack.

The former USC Trojans Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was fortunate enough to add Michigan tight end Colston Loveland in the first round, and now adds one of the SEC’s most electrifying players in Burden III. Williams, who was the No. 1 overall pick last season, had a record-breaking year as a rookie. Still, the Bears saw little success in the wins column. With additions like this, Williams is on his way to returning to the form seen at USC.

Nov 30, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) catches a pass for a two point conversion against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Burden III, who was able to play in college at the same time Williams was, is very familiar with the former Trojans star, as he was able to witness Caleb’s historic USC career. In his post-draft interview, Burden III spoke briefly about Caleb Williams and their shared history, including a tidbit about them almost being teammates in college.

"I know a lot about Caleb [Williams]," Luther Burden III said. "Me and him were supposed to be teammates before. So the world works in mysterious ways. So, I'm excited to finally unite with him and get to work."

"I'm excited to finally unite with him and get to work. I definitely followed his career, I watched a lot of his game, he was the No. 1 pick, I'm definitely a big fan of him and I'm excited to get to work with him," Luther Burden continued.

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The Bears feel they got a NFL draft steal with a lot of value in Luther Burden III.

"There was a lot of value there," general manager Ryan Poles said. "He was at the top of our board. Really did a good job following the board, kind of letting it talk to us. It was clear he was the most talented player on the board. He's an electric player, playmaker, highly competitive, and the run-after-the-catch is special, probably the best in this class. When you add that to the group that we have, things get pretty exciting,"

Luther Burden III started 34 games and appeared in 38 during his illustrious career with the Missouri Tigers. He racked up 192 receptions, 2,263 receiving yards, and 21 touchdowns. Burden III also ran for two rushing touchdowns, including a 61-yard score. During the 2024 season, Burden III led the 10-win Mizzou program with 676 receiving yards, 71 catches, and six receiving touchdowns in total.

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Missouri wideout Luther Burden III (WO09) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Burden III was twice named First Team All-SEC at Mizzou. In 2023, Burden III hauled in 1,212 receiving yards, the third-most by any SEC player. He also piled up 86 receptions, the second-most by any pass-catcher in the entire SEC, on his way to earning AP Second-Team All-America honors. Burden III is one of the most decorated players in Mizzou’s proud and rich football tradition.

Burden III is surely the most dynamic weapon Caleb Williams has played with since he took the field with wide receiver Jordan Addison at the University of Southern California. On a night where the Bears got better in many key positions, none holds more significance than what Burden III’s selection means. Coach Ben Johnson is well on his way to assembling an offensive nucleus that rivals the one he just left in Detroit.

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