2025 NFL Draft: Top-3 WR prospect draws comp to Seahawks great Golden Tate

There has been plenty of buzz surrounding the Seattle Seahawks’ revamped wide receiver room. DK Metcalf (who is apparently catching passes from free-agent Aaron Rodgers) was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tyler Lockett is now on the open market. The newcomers include Cooper Kupp, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, River Cracraft, and Steven Sims Jr.

While there was a revival of the running game around the league in 2024, no team can have too many wide receivers—especially in this era of 17 regular-season games, and a 14-team playoff field. Keep in mind that if a team is not the No. 1 in its conference, it takes four postseason wins to hoist a Lombardi Trophy.

With that in mind, could the Seahawks look to add to its pass-catching corps, and make life easier for new starting quarterback Sam Darnold. It says here that Missouri’s Luther Burden III bears watching.

NFL draft analyst Ryan Roberts of A to Z Sports put the former Tigers’ wideout’s 2024 season into perspective, he compared him to a former Seahawks’ wideout that was a second-round pick by the franchise in 2010.

Missouri vs. Aubur — Oct 19, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

“The Burden questions are the most understandable on this list. He did see a huge decrease in production this past season. There is, however, reason for it. The offense struggled as a whole, including the offensive line, the quarterback play, and Burden was banged up throughout the season. Burden still brings impressive athleticism and YAC ability to the table. That provides a pretty easy floor. For my money, this is still the top wide receiver in the class, and a Golden Tate clone.”

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had high praise for Burden as well. “Former five-star recruit who offers five-star athleticism and playmaking ability. Burden is a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate. 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.”

The Seahawks not only have the 18th overall pick this year, but have a pair of selections (50 and 52) in the second round. For what it’s worth, Tate was the 60th overall choice back in ’10.

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